The Calling
by Touch The Dark
Summary: Buffy is your typical geek and Spike is the most popular guy in school. Rupert Giles works for the watchers council and when the slayer is killed he is told the next one is right there in SunnyDale... Full summary inside and eventual Spuffy!
1. All about me

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

**Summary: Buffy is your typical geek and Spike is the most popular guy in school. Rupert Giles works for the watchers council and when the slayer is killed he is told the next one is right there in SunnyDale...little do they realise what is right around the corner will change their lives and the lives of their friends and families forever.**

_**A:N: This story will be a mixture of first and third person, i have never attempted this before so please be kind!**_

Chapter one: All about me

Buffy Anne Summers, daughter of Joyce and Hank Summers, little sister to Adrian and older sister to Dawn, wow hey that is me Buffy Anne Summers, resident dork of SunnyDale high. My birthday is 24th October and i am 16 years old, honey blonde hair and hazel/green eyes, oh and i wear glasses! I was born in LA, California...1991 to be exact. We lived there until i was 10 and then that's when everything and i mean EVERYTHING went kablooey! Mom and dad had been rowing for what seems a life time and all me and Adrian heard was the screaming and shouting, lucky for Dawnie she was too young to understand this, but it still upset her. So one day i was sick and my mom had brought me home early and my dad and his slutty secretary were making out on the sofa. Mom instantly covered my eyes and ushered me to my room and they had a blazing argument. I, of course was peaking through the gaps in the staircase and before i knew it we were leaving LA, for SunnyDale. I've had two best friends all the way through school Willow Rosenburg and Alexander (Xander) Harris they are both really cool, but Xander can be a bit annoying sometimes, but what male isn't? Now since were on the subject of males, not that i want to mention this idiot or any of his idiotic friends, but his dad is a friend of my mom's so i guess i should...William (Spike) Giles has made my life a living hell ever since he stepped foot here. He was 12 when he first came here from England. Okay, okay, i'll admit at first he was ok but when we hit the 9th grade he changed completely, dyed his hair bleach blonde, changed from his bookish clothes to all black, doc martin's, black leather duster and chipped black nails and that's when he became an ass and started hanging around with Liam (Angel) O'connor and all the jocks. All the girls would give ANYTHING to just sit next to him, but not me i'd pay just to get away from that slime ball. He and his mates just think they can walk around the school like they own it, yeah they wish! Anyways his dad is well nice and he treats us like his children and Spike hates this because we are unpopular and he hates us and for some reason he hates me more than anyone. Well i have to get to bed because tomorrow marks the end of the summer and the beginning of the torment!

So what do you think guys? Please review kindly and the next chapter will be longer, thanks!


	2. the first day back part one

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter two: First day back, part one

I am in an underground cave, lair or whatever you want to call it and it is really, really dark, except for the dim light of the candles on either side of me. I try to walk away when i hear an eerily voice calling my name "Buffy..." it whispered. I'm shivering now, but i feel drawn to the voice and i start towards it. There is blood dripping from the walls and i come to the edge and see more candles and some weird looking creature in a black suit comes walking painfully slow towards me. I fell compelled to go towards it, such power. The monster then comes up behind me and leans my head to one side and it whispers "I have waited so long..." that's when he sank he teeth into me, threw me to the ground and...THUD! Oh man i've fell out of bed again! Ok Buffy just collect yourself, was just a dream, a silly, little dream. I look at the clock and it reads 8 o'clock...holy moly! I'm going to be late! "Buffy, come on your going to be late!" i hear my mom yelling, so i shout back "Give me five!" now i have to find something to wear, do my hair, brush my teeth, get some breakfast and get to school in one piece, boy this is definitely first day back to school.

Sunnydale high, that's where i go to school, well duh it is Sunnydale, so what else is the school going to be called. I shuffle along the corridor to my locker, desperately trying to avoid Cordelia Chase and her little gang of whores, but unlucky for me she spotted me and makes her way over to me. She stands at one side of my locker and Harmony Kendall stands the other side. Now both of them are looking me up and down. Today i decided to wear a pair of baggy jeans, my red chequered sneakers and a red sweater, plus my glasses and i decided to put my hair in a pony. I hear them giggling and Cordelia finally speaks.

"Oh look Harmony, it's Betty," she snickers and i bow my head in shame, trying to not look either one in the eyes. I had my sketch book in my hand, pictures of the dreams i've been having all summer.

"Queen of the dorks," she continues and notices the book in my hand, oh no. Harmony snatches it from my hands and now i'm so scared and people are beginning to look. She flicks through and bursts out laughing, passing the book over to her friend. Cordelia is now laughing too.

"Wow, you really are a dork!" she screeches.

"Give it back..." i whisper and she was about to throw the book in the trash when Xander and Willow come up to us.

"Ah if it isn't Frankenstein and the bimbo...why don't you go back to whatever pop girly world ya came out of?" Xander said, putting his finger on Harmony's shoulder, which causes her to freak out, run to the girl's bathroom's and screaming on the way "OHMYGOD! I am so gonna need to scrub my skin a zillion times!" Cordelia throws the book to the ground and goes after the screaming banshee. I pick up my sketch book and me, Xander and Willow begin to laugh and walk.

"So how was your summer ladies?"

What do you think so far guys? Thanks for the reviews so far and keep it up!


	3. the first day back part two

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter three: First day back, part two

He saw the altercation between Buffy, Cordelia and Harmony, well most of it up until two pale hands came up and covered his eyes. He sighed and there was giggling coming from behind him.

"Guess who," he sighed again and spoke with a husky British accent.

"Dru, is that you,?" Drusilla squealed and clapped, much to the annoyance of the bleach blonde, even though this girl was his girlfriend. Now the dark beauty was stood in front of him.

"My Spikey is so clever!... did you miss me this summer, my love?" she questioned , raising her brows. A smile crept on his lips and then he attacked her with his lips.

"Did i ever...you look radiant, love" she was going to reply when Anya Jenkins came bouncing over to the couple. She gave Spike a wary look and spoke to Dru.

"We have to get to class, i have plenty of men i would like to ogle that could give me great sex!" Spike grunted and Drusilla smiled up at him.

"I'll see you at lunch, my prince," the girls walked off and he muttered

"At lunch..." now his eyes were cast on her. The thorn in his side, the one person he hated more than anyone in this school, Buffy Summers. She was walking with her friends and giggling as they headed down the hall to their class and the bell went when Principal Synder spotted him.

"Mr Giles, might i suggest you go to class? Remember one strike-"

"And your out, i got it keep your hair on," he finished his sentence and headed for class.

Buffy, Xander and Willow were sat by the window in class and Cordelia kept on pointing and laughing at Buffy when Mrs Henson slammed a ruler on her desk, causing everyone to jump and mutter. Spike and Angel were also in this class. Everyone fell silent and a smile spread across her face. Mrs Henson stood at the front of her desk, clipboard in hand.

"Now that i have got your attention i will begin the lesson with the first bit of news, this year is going to be very different as i have arranged your seating and whoever your next to will be your study buddies this year (groaning of students) which will immediately take affect and it CANNOT be changed... ok first we have Liam O'connor and Winfred Jones," as Mrs Henson went on with the list the groans grew and there were more eye rolls than ever. She got to the last six names on the list.

"Alexander Harris and Cordelia Chase,"

"WHAT!" both of them shouted at once, mouths open in disbelief and now it was down to willow, Oz, Spike and Buffy and Buffy was really hoping she would get Willow or Oz.

"That is quite enough Mr Harris and Miss Chase!...Daniel Osborne and Willow Rosenburg and finally William Giles and Buffy Summers, now can we get to our seats quickly and quietly and start the lesson?" groans again and both blonde reluctantly sat next to each other and Buffy muttered "Peroxide idiot," Spike's head snapped towards her and grinned "Was that an insult, Summers?...well it can't be worse than being a loser..."

"I'd rather be a loser and have natural coloured hair than be a loser with fake blonde hair and who has the attention span of a fish!" he gasped and put his hand to his chest in feigned horror "Who knew you had it in you...but i best be careful, you might throw-" he was interrupted by the teacher smacking the ruler on the table again.

"Mr Giles and Miss Summers if you cannot be civil for this lesson then i suggest you leave and go the principal's office and your in last chance saloon Mr Giles so might i suggest you try and get on with your study buddy? (he nods) right, this semester we will be studying the life and works of the great William Shakespeare, if you open your desks up, take out your textbooks and turn to page 67, we will begin with the play called King Lear,"

Meanwhile Mr Giles was in the library sorting out his books when a small framed man walked in. He was wearing a tweed suit, glasses and had brown hair, which was swept back. Mr Giles looked up to meet the serious expression of the man.

"Wesley, what are you doing here?" the librarian asked

"I have some bad news Rupert...Kendra is dead,"

so what do you think so far? Which one is better 1st person or 3rd person? Thanks for the reviews so far and the next chapter will be better i just need you guys to tell me which one is better and then i will do the next chapter in that context, don't forget keep reading and reviewing guys!


	4. No idea

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter four: No idea

"Dead? (takes glasses off and sits down) how? When?" Giles asked with shock in his voice. Wesley was now sat opposite Giles as he prepared to tell him all of the gory details. He cleared his throat and looked the other watcher in the eyes.

"Saturday...someone had a vengeance demon kill her and her watcher...," Giles gasped in horror. Kendra and Lydia were both dead. How was this possible?

"And you came all the way from England just to tell me this?"

"There is something else...someone from the coven got a seer to locate the next slayer,"

"She is here in Sunnydale?" Wesley nodded

"Yes and you are to be her watcher...they were only able to pinpoint the area she was in and we do not know her name or what she looks like all we know for certain is that she is 16 years old," Wesley explained and Giles looked very perplexed.

"If you know her age and which town she lives in, surely you could pinpoint her address?...(sighs) how am i meant to find her?"

"You have a 16 year old son Rupert, use him,"

Buffy put her key in the door and could smell the roast chicken in the hallway. _I must be dreaming_ she thought and walked into the kitchen where her mom and Dawn were chatting, well more like Dawn chatting and her mom listening. Joyce turned around to see her daughter, stood at the doorway.

"Hey hon, how was your first day back?" she chirped

"It was horrid! First off I had Cordelia snatching my pad from me and-and guess who I've have to sit next to in English and be study buddies with? Spike-I-think-I'm- damn-sexy GILES!" she exasperated and her little sister giggled and Buffy glared at her, instantly shutting her up.

"Spike is cool, your just a dork..." Dawn said sweetly and smiled at her, annoying Buffy further. She was about to open her mouth and insult Dawn but Joyce stopped her.

"GIRLS! Now can we please be civil through dinner?" she asked, raising her brows.

"Fine,"

"Fine,"

The middle-aged woman sighed and served dinner.

"Dad...what's with the sour face? You look like you've eaten a bloody wasp," Spike pointed out. Giles looked up to his son and frowned.

"William, watch your language please!" Spike rolled his blue eyes and grunted "It's Spike now...so you gonna tell me who shoved the stick up your arse?"

"No-one has shoved anything, anywhere...Kendra is dead and the new slayer is here, in Sunnydale and I (points to himself) am to be her watcher...the only problem is we do not know what her name is, what she looks like or where she lives and all we have to go on is that she is 16 years of age... it's a shambles," Giles had put his head in head hands and then looked up to his son.

"God i hope it's not Harmony, could you imagine her? (puts on a high-pitched, female voice) 'Oh god! I've broken a nail!!!'" the teen laughed and his smiled soon faded when he saw the look on Giles' face. Spike narrowed his eyes at his father.

"What? It's not her is it?"

He shook his head in the negative and answered his son.

"No-well I don't know do I? I need you to find out,"

"And how do you expect me to do that? I'm not a slayer-finding radar you know," Now it was Giles' turn to roll his eyes.

So what do you think? The 5th chapter will be up soon don't worry! Sorry it took me ages to update, keep reading and reviewing and thank you for the reviews so far!!!!


	5. Detective Spike

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter five: Detective Spike

She was sitting in the cafeteria area of the school and she looked distracted and worried. Her friends noticed this as they ate their lunches. Spike was stood at the doorway, paper covering his face. Every few minutes he'd peep up above it and took a look at the girls. The worried look seemed to have gone from her face and she was now laughing. Then there was a slap on his back. Angel.

"Spike man, what's with the paper? And why are you watching Harmony? (pause) oh wait don't tell me you're going to swap bleaching tips?" Angel pointed out

"I fancied reading the news before I get my lunch, you ninny...and as for her...she owes me $4," Angel laughed at his friend and took a tray, pushed Spike towards the line and carried on talking.

"Well your not gonna get any lunch there,"

"Shut up, Peaches,"

Half an hour later, Spike, Angel and Oz were sitting with Cordelia, Harmony and Anya. Spike, for once had an interest in what the girls were saying, so much so that he missed what happened next. Buffy was at the counter, getting her lunch and went for the ice cream pump and accidentally broke the handle, causing the ice cream to flow out non-stop. She tried to fix it but ended up giving up and frowned and walked away to her friends, with the dinner lady looking at her with a frown of anger etched on her face. As she sat down Willow and Xander just stare at her.

"What?" she asked innocently.

He had a free period and so did most of the cheerleaders. Great opportunity to investigate. Spike was sat on the benches, with the paper yet again, but he got bored so decided to put it down and watch them practise. There was Cordelia, giving out the moves, Harmony, being a complete bimbo and Drusilla, his girlfriend. Dru was stark-raving bonkers and he didn't give two hoots, he loved her non the less, although the chit got on his nerves if he spent more than an hour with her. They were doing the pyramid formation went Harmony lost her balance and caused the whole thing to collapse. Cordelia instantly was up, yelling and screaming at everyone and stormed off out of the room. Yeah, this was going well.

"Hey!" Drusilla yelled to him and he raised his hand to her.

"Hey, pet," he said to her as she walked up to where he was sitting and then sat on his lap, nibbling his ear.

"Come to perv have you..." she continued to nibble at his ear and then his neck. He sighed and pushed her off, slowly.

"Something like that...look Dru, I'm kinda not in the mood for this,"

Her dark red lips pouted at him and he smiled kissing her roughly and then pulled away. He moved her off of his knee so he could stand.

"Come to the bronze tonight, my sweet Spike,"

"Will do, but right now i have to go," and that was it he was off out of the door.

That afternoon was gym class for the girls and the Cordettes were snickers at Willow and Buffy's gym attire. Luckily for Buffy she had taken her glasses off, well had to really, gym rules. Miss Walts always said "You don't want them to go flying or smash in your face so take them off!". For some reason she hated Buffy and she didn't know why.

"Today we are playing a game that we call dodge ball...the aim of the game is to dodge the ball, if you get hit your out! (looks at Buffy purposely) whoever is last wins..alright...let's get started!" Miss Walts exclaimed and the girls began to play. All that was left was Cordelia, Sarah and Anya on one side and on the other side was Buffy, Faith and Clara. Buffy threw the ball and it smacked Cordelia square in the face, causing her to cover her nose and when she removed her hand there was blood all over it. She screamed and everyone crowded her. Buffy was chewing her lip, eyes grew wide as she saw the blood.

"Oh god! Cordelia i am soooooooooooooo sorry!" she apologised but Cordelia just screamed at her.

"You are going to regret this, Summers!"

She walked out the room with some of her friends and Miss Walts approached the blonde.

"I think you should go to the changing rooms, don't you Miss Summers?"

Buffy bowed her head down in shame and walked out, slowly followed by Willow. The blonde looked upset and angry but also was finding it hard not to laugh.

"Buffy, what was that?" the red-head asked her best friend and she shrugged in response.

"I only threw it lightly...although it was worth it!" she laughed, but her friend wasn't laughing. She shoved her shoulder lightly.

"Come on Wills, you are seriously telling me that when that ball hit Cordy's face that it wasn't in the slightest funny?"

Willow giggled slightly. She instantly covered her mouth to stop it and the girls then couldn't control it.

End of the school day and the bleached teen was sat outside the school having a smoke. Harmony and the rest of the Cordette's, minus Cordelia were discussing what had happened in gym class. Spike overheard some of the conservation.

"Betty is such a freak! Can you believe what she did to Cordelia?" Harmony squeaked out. All the girls nodded.

"hmm-mm...broke her nose just by throwing a ball! I mean purr-lease! She is going pay-" a brunette said before Spike interrupted.

"Hello ladies...what happened to Cordy?" he inquired and all of them looked at him dreamily and fluttered their eyelashes.

"Betty, Butty Summers or what ever the hell her name is threw a ball in gym and it hit her on the face, Cordy is so gonna make her life a living hell," Anya explained to him. Buffy Summers? The geek? The chit who has a higher iq than him threw a ball and hurt the bitch queen? _No Spike, this can't be right..can it? Best get more evidence first_ Spike thought.

"You mean Buffy? Is Cordelia ok?" Harmony sighed with frustration.

"Of course she isn't, you dumbo! And who cares what her name is!" she exclaimed

"Lets go girls," the girls all blew him kisses before they left and he was determined to find this new slayer, but Buffy Summers? No way! She had the strength of a mouse! One thing was certain, if he didn't find her soon his dad would play merry hell.

What do you think? Thanks for the reviews so for guys they have really helped me to get this done! Don't forget to keep reading and reviewing guys!


	6. Revealed

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter Six: Revealed

The bronze was packed to the rafters. Teenagers, adults and even a few elderly people were there dancing to the band; Dingoes ate my baby. Oz was the guitarist. Willow fancied him like crazy and every time he would come on stage and play all she would do was watch him play and not listen to her friends, which was what she was doing when Buffy came over with the drinks. Tonight Buffy was wearing her hair in bunches, with her glasses she wore a lime green, long sleeved top and over that were a pair of dungarees, accompanied by a pair of white sneakers. She purposely banged the glass on the table to make Willow jump out of her trance. Willow now scowled at her friend.

"Did you have to do that?" she sulked. The blonde giggled and Xander replied.

"Willow, you do know it's rude to stare?"

"Of course I do?!?...can't help it,"

"Go ask him out then," Buffy insisted and the red-head stared at her. Mortified.

"Buffy, are you kidding? He is popular, so the odds of him actually going out with me are zero to none...I can't..." she was panicking now. Buffy patted her shoulder and smiled as one of her favourite songs came on. It was Crazy by Gnarls Barkley and she was bobbing her head up and down.

"Don't worry!"

Spike was pacing in the living room of the house, waiting for his dad to return. There were two possibilities of who could be the slayer. Firstly Gina Yates, she this afternoon swung a door and it came off it's hinges and there was her. Buffy Summers. The one person he hated more than anything in the world. The chit always out smarted him in everything and if it was her it would be even worse. The fact that one day out of the month his father insisted that they go round to the Summers' house and have dinner. OK, he didn't have a problem with Dawn, Adrian or Mrs Summers, just her. All they would do was pass insults like "Girly boy," and "Brat," he hated her and she hated him, enough said. Giles walked in the door to see his son pacing.

"You're going to end up wearing a hole into the carpet...so have you got me any news?" Spike pursed his lips and told Giles the options and the reasons. Giles nodded his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. Half seven on the clock.

"Sorry dad, promised Dru I'd meet her..."

Spike left his dad to mull over the option. Buffy Summers or Gina Yates, now that would be interesting.

Down an alley there was a girl taking a short cut through down when four men cornered her. She dropped her bag at their feet and was shaking with fear as they approached her.

"P-p-please, take anything you want!" she stuttered out and the men laughed.

"Well since there is no slayer in Sunnydale...I guess we could start our killing spree with you!" they turned into their games faces and the girl screamed before all four of the vamps bit her. Draining every last drop of blood out of her body. Meanwhile, Spike had been in the bronze for an hour now. He was trying to take his mind off finding the slayer. _Who cares about some stupid destiny anyway? _He thought. Drusilla was making out with him as usual. Angel was making out with Darla. The rest of them sat chatting about Cordelia and her nose. They all listened intently as Harmony relayed the story, again. The black beauty had pulled away from Spike now and was listening, much to his disliking. He was sick and flaming tired of hearing about the chit! How she was going to pay for what she did and that she should have the same done to her. The blonde stood up abruptly.

"I'm going to get a drink," he announced and made his way over to the bar. As he got there he rolled his eyes. Great, why did she have to be there of all people? She was tapping her fingers on the counter and Spike came up beside her.

"One coke, please mate,"

"Coming right up," the barman said

It was Buffy's turn to roll her eyes, accompanied by a groan.

"Not only do I have to sit next to you in English and be your 'Study buddy' now you've decided to bring your British ass over here and harass me," he chuckled softly and she glared at him.

"Hardly, don't flatter yourself, love,"

"I'm not your love...William," she retorted and he glared at her, nostrils flared. The barman came over with his drink. Spike snatched his drink and walked away. The barman looked at Buffy bewilderment all over his face.

"What's his problem?" she shrugged.

Buffy had just left the bronze when she walked down an alley. She knew that it was dangerous to do this at this time of night but she didn't want to go home yet because if she did go home now that meant she would have to go to bed. Nightmares plagued her sleep and she became more restless each night. The same one over and over and over. She was just rounding the corner when a guy appeared from the shadows and pushed her against the wall and covered her mouth with his hand to muffle any screams. She looked terrified. Once she was silent he removed it and gave her a sickening smile.

"Number four tonight...must be my lucky night...what's your name sweetheart?" Buffy swallowed hard and whispered her reply, stuttering along the way.

"B-Buffy,"

"Well, B-Buffy, how do you felling about dying?" he mocked and then changed into his game face, giving her a toothy grin. Her eyes widened with fear at him. Spike had just left the club, cigarette in mouth and was smoking it quite happily when he heard a small whimper. Wondering where it had come from he stood by the entrance of the alley where Buffy and the vampire were. As the vampire was about to sink his fangs into her neck, Buffy pushed him away causing him to go flying into the dumper, putting a dent in it. She was now sat leaning her back against the wall and the vampire looked at her, shocked.

"Holy crap..." he whispered and then ran straight into Spike, whom at this point had a stake ready. He tilted his head, sucked in his cheeks and smiled evilly at the vampire before he plunged it into his heart, causing him to turn to dust. Spike wiped the dust off his hands, placed the stake back into his duster and ran off down the alley to see her. A touch of concern twitched in him as he walked over to her to see if she was ok._ Wait a second, this is Buffy Summers were talking about, get a bloody grip man!_ Spike thought. He sighed and offered her his hand to pull her up. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her glasses were crooked. She took his hand and pulled herself up off the ground. She abruptly pulled her hand away from his.

"Are you hurt?" he asked with a softness to his voice. Buffy shook her head in the negative and had confusion mapped all over her little features. What the hell was that? And when did she get that strong? And why the hell the Spike being nice to her?

"Good...that's good (looks at her) you have to come with me," he stated running his blue eyes over her. The slayer is a geek, how she going to kill the big nasties, with her knowledge of algebra?

"No, I have to go home, now move out of my way, Spike,"

He stepped in front of her as if to stop her.

"Get. Out. Of. My. Way," she spat out at him and he let out a small chuckle and then put a serious face on and grabbed her arm.

"You don't get it, do you Summers, you have to come with me...now!" his voice now sounding angry. She tensed her jaw and clenched her fist and punched him in the nose. He instantly let go of her arm and grabbed his nose.

"Oh, bloody hell, OW!" he yelled. Buffy looked at him and looked shocked at what she just did but ran off out the alley and home.

Spike slammed the door to his house and went to the bathroom. She had clonked him good and proper but she just didn't get it, didn't find the situation unusual or said anything about it and now he would have to put up with his dad training her _Why that bloody bint!?! i hate her soddin' guts!_ He thought as he cleaned his nose up. Giles entered the bathroom and frown at his son's nose.

"What on earth have you been doing, William?" he asked his son

Spike growled in response and threw the tissue in the bin.

"Finding your bloody slayer is what! Stupid bint clonked me one,"

"And?"

"And what?"

"Who is it?"

so what do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews so far and don't worry if there isn't an update for a while...(i have visitors from tomorrow til sunday :() so unfortunately i can't update til sunday night. Don't forget keep reading and reviewing!


	7. The slayer

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter seven: The slayer

The next day, Spike walked down the corridors of the school, black eye as a result of Buffy hitting him. Everyone was staring and pointing at him. He tried to ignore them but it wasn't working. Cordelia spotted him, nose tapped up and baring a black eye also. She made her way over to him. He was walking away.

"Spike!" she shouted but he just ignored her. This made her angry and she quickened her pace. As she reached him she put her hand on his shoulder and he turned to her, nostrils flared. Cordelia gasped in horror at his eye and then sighed.

"Did Crazy Buffy hit you too?" she pipped out. Spike's nostrils flared even more and he rolled his eyes.

"NO! And I wish everyone would shut up about your soddin' nose and THAT stupid bint!" he spat out before leaving Cordelia very confused. That's when she spotted Harmony.

"Hey Harm you never guess what..."

He was now sat in the library with his dad. Giles was getting all of the books out. Buffy Summers? Maybe he got it wrong?

"Buffy Summers? You're absolutely sure?"

Spike groaned at his dad, this was the 6th time he had asked him if he was sure or if he had made any sort of mistake. There was no doubt about it that Miss Buffy Summers, the one chit he hated more than anything, was indeed the slayer. For one she broke Cordy's nose just from throwing a ball at her, two, she made a vampire go flying into the dumpster, causing it to dent and then after all that the stupid woman hit him! Now he had to go round telling everyone he had gotten into a fight. He just hoped Cordelia didn't spread around that it was Buffy who hit him.

"For the last bleedin' time...yes it's Buffy bloody Summers," he exhaled and his dad gave him a warning glance.

"Well, in that case I think I better tell her of her calling,"

"You're on your own with that one, if it's isn't bad enough that I've got sit next to her in class and go to her soddin' house every month, now I have to put up with her being 'Chosen'!" he said, grabbed his book bag and headed for the door.

Buffy hadn't slept a wink last night. Being attacked by a vampire and then punching Spike in the nose, well he deserved it, didn't he? Willow and Xander watched her in class. She was more distracted than ever before. Not concentrating on her work, falling asleep at her desk. Definitely not like Buffy. Cordettes giving her the evil eye. Luckily for her, neither Cordelia or Spike were in this lesson with her, hurray! The loudspeaker came on and a woman spoke out of it.

"Can Buffy Summers make her way to the library. I repeat can Buffy Summers please make her way to the library. Thank you." The whole class looked at her and the teacher nodded at her, giving her the permission to go.

She entered the library, arms wrapped about herself. Mr. Giles was no where to be seen.

"Great, get told to come and no-one is here," she muttered to herself

She took a look at a book on the counter. History of the Vampyr. OOKAY, now she was freaked. Buffy cleared her throat and shouted.

"Is anyone here?"

Mr Giles appeared from his office with an armful of books. Buffy went over and took some of them off him. He looked at her gratefully.

"Thank you,"

She had put the books down on the counter and dared not look at the covers, worried of what could be on them. A few moments of silence had pasted before she spoke again.

"So, Mr Giles, what do you need me for?...Have I got an over due book?"

"Oh no, nothing like that..."

She sighed and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Did Spike tell you about me hitting him, coz he really did deserve that...tried to get me to-" she was interrupted by Giles.

"You really have no idea of what is going on around here, do you? Do you think it's just a mere coincidence that you have this strength?"

"What strength? I have no idea what your talking about..." Giles frowned at how stubborn this girl was being. Completely batting the conversation out the window by denying her strength.

"So you haven't been having the nightmares then?" he inquired and her eyes widened at his comment.

"H-How do you know about that?"

"Because you are the slayer...into each generation a slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One, one born with the strength and skill to hunt the vampires, to stop the spread of their evil...," he explained and Buffy's mouth hung open as she listened to him. Vampire. Slayer. Chosen One. No way!

"You're wrong...you have to be," tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Giles was now losing his patience. His son was right about her. Sometimes. He grabbed a knife from his office and threw it at her head.

"WAIT! Don't throw that!" all of a sudden Buffy's hand raised up in a lighting quick movement and caught the knife just before it was going to hit her head. She looked at the knife, then looked at Giles.

"Now do you believe me?"

She was still staring at her hand and she dropped the knife. He sighed and stepped closer to her.

"If that isn't enough evidence for you meet me at the Redfields graveyard at 10pm tonight and I will prove it then...if-if after that you don't believe me then...well it's up to you, but please remember that this is your destiny and I advice you not to bring your glasses...Buffy?"

Buffy snapped her head to look at him. Seriousness all over her face. She was also frowning.

"Fine, I'll meet you, but I'm not promising anything,"

Giles went to speak but it was too late. She had already walked out the room.

What do you think guys? This is the last update for a few days but dont worry i will update soon as can! Thanks for the reviews so far keep it up guys!


	8. There is your proof

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter eight: There is the proof

Principal Synder sat at his desk, looking very pleased with himself. Spike was sat in front of him, looking really annoyed and Giles had just come into the room.

"Take a seat...Mr. Giles," he said as he pointed towards the chair next to Spike. Giles sat next to his son with a perplexed look on his face. Synder cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Should I explain to your father why we're here or should you do it, William?"

No response.

"Very well...Mr. Giles your son decided this afternoon that it would be a good idea to not only miss 5th period, but also get into a fight...now I thought I was pretty clear the last time... that if William stepped out of line once more that he would be expelled and therefore (smiles) I have no other option but-"

"Principal Synder...I understand that my son can be a bit of a nuisance, but I can assure you that he will NOT get into any more trouble," Giles interrupted him and Spike looked agitated and started fidgeting with his coat. He was such a troll that Synder and the whole school thought so, even the marching band and chess club. This guy was very much hated.

"You have said that the last three times...(looks at the teen) people like him deserve to be locked up," Giles now looked furious at him and kept his cool as he prepared to do him an offer.

"I'll have you know that William is one of the most smartest, caring lads in this school...(Spike glares at him) give him until the end of the semester and if he is still misbehaving...then you can do what you like but at least give him one last chance," Synder sighed and rolled his eyes at them both.

"Ok, ONE last chance and I mean it,now if you'd care to leave my office...I have some paper work to do,"

Both Giles' stood up and as they were leaving Synder said something.

"I'm watching you,"

Giles looked at Spike. Disappointed, but not surprised. Now was the time for some intervention.

"Get into the car, William,"

"Spike," Spike corrected his dad

"I do not think you're in the position to undermine me, now, the car," he ushered his son to the car. Groaning and moaning came from him. The drive home had been silent, neither of them uttering one word. Spike threw his coat on the coat rack and was on his way to his room when his dad stopped him.

"Where do you think you are going? I think you owe me an explanation," he raised his brows at Spike. Spike was now getting a drink of OJ and he shrugged at his dad.

"It was just history, like I need that bloody subject anyway...as for the fight...(pauses) he started it...," he explained and this only infuriated him more.

"And that does not give you the right to throw your weight around!"

"And it's fair for everyone else to do it?"

"No...I just wish you would concentrate on your school work instead of listening to other people,"

Not listen to other people? It is a bit hard when you're a very emotional guy but hide it with a ton of male bravado. Even though he had changed his appearance and his name a part of 'William', bookish nerd and poet remained inside of Spike, not that he ever admitted this. To anyone.

"As of tonight you are grounded, until you have proven to me that your behaviour has indeed changed," his eyes widened at this.

"But- you can't be serious! I said I'd meet the guys for pizza!"

"I can and I have...now I want you to go to your room and get your homework done...(spike is walking away to his room) And do not come out until it is done!" Giles shouted and Spike slammed his bedroom door.

The Summers family were sat round the dining table. Adrian had come home from college to spend some time with them. Buffy wasn't bothered. She had bigger things on her mind. While Adrian, Dawn and Joyce were eating and chatting, she just sat, making a potato castle out of her mash and not eating a thing. Adrian turned to see a very glum and distracted blonde.

"Buff, you gonna eat any of that?"

Her head turned towards her brother.

"Huh?" came her reply

"Buffy, are you ok?" her worried mother asked.

"Yea...uh, can I be excused?"

Joyce nodded and Buffy left the table to go to her room. Buffy was never like this, she was always cheery and talkative. That evening was very different. She had hardly said two words when she got home and when Adrian had entered all she said was "Hi,". Now normally she would be really excited and hug her big brother. This worried Joyce, but decided to leave her to sort herself out. It was now 9:45 PM. Buffy was dressed in a pair of black sweat pants and a white spaghetti vest top and over that was a jacket that went with the sweats. She had taken her glasses off and her hair was in a pony. A little ear pressed to the door to hear if anyone was out in the hallway. All clear. The bolt was pulled across on the door and she sighed. Buffy made her way over to the window and bit her lip as she opened it. This was going to be fun. She swung her leg over the ledge, ducked her head under the window and stood on the little edge. Tree or pipe? Tree or pipe? She opted for the pipe and grabbed hold of it, keeping her eyes focused on the sky and not the ground.

"Don't look down...don't look down," she muttered to herself as she shimmed down the pipe. When she was about a foot away from the grass she jumped from the pipe, landing safely. Dusting herself off she made her way to meet him.

He looked at the time and as he was sorting himself out with stakes, crosses and holy water Spike appeared in the living room.

"Get your coat, you are coming with me,"

"I thought I was grounded?"

Giles passed the blonde one of each. Spike looked at them. Confusion all over his face.

"I cannot trust you alone in the house, so you are coming with me... you are still grounded though," he stated

Spike sighed and grabbed his coat off the rack, putting the stake, cross and holy water into the pockets of his duster. He adjusted his glasses as they made their way out of the door.

"Fine, but don't expect me to get involved, pops,"

Redfields graveyard. Here she was stood outside the gate, pacing. What did he have in store for her? She was just starting to think she should leg it home when she saw a flash of peroxide. Great. Why did he have to come? Spike saw her standing at the gates. He wasn't able to see her face as she was now stood facing the gate. Was this what Spike had wanted to tell her the other night? That she was some stupid chosen one? Whatever it was the odd situations and deaths in this town were starting to make sense. Countless of bodies and skin being flayed. Yikes! Giles stood next to her and Spike was behind her.

"Bout time..." she whispered, avoiding his eyes.

"This way," Giles pointed at the gate and she went off ahead of them. _She seems odder _Spike thought. Giles searched for a freshly done grave. Spike was now walking with her. No glasses? Well that was a first.

"HERE! Over here!" Giles shouted and the pair made their way over to him. For some reason Spike actually felt sorry for her, for all of a minute. Buffy's nose wrinkled up at the grave and then looked at the watcher.

"You want me to fight with mud?"

"No, we will wait until he rises,"

"Rises? As in gets out of the grave?"

Spike sighed and rolled his eyes at her. For a smart person she was acting awfully blonde.

"Well we are in a graveyard, where else is he gonna rise from? A tree?" he chuckled and Buffy glared at Spike. The smirk was wiped from his face as he soaked in her green eyes and her cherub face. _Wow she isn't that bad...WHAT!!! ok Spike lets go over this again. Buffy Summers is the thorn in your side...but a pretty thorn!_ He thought and he shook his head to get rid of his thoughts. Her eyes flashed such fire. This made them even greener. The vampire dug his way out of the grave and Buffy stepped back a little. Giles nodded to Spike and he nodded back both stepping away from her and the vampire. The vampire looked at Buffy and smiled. Her eyes were darting everywhere. When they rested on Giles he threw her a stake. She got it. The vampire advanced her and she ran but the vampire was charging her. He pounced onto her, pinning her to the ground. Giles and Spike watched on. She pushed him off and he landed on the ground next to her.

"Stake him in the heart, the heart!" Giles shouted to her and she plunged the stake into him. She missed. Eyes grew wide as the vampire flipped up off the ground, pulling her up with him when She bent down and flipped him over her back. The second times a charm and this was right as she plunged it back in him for the second time, turning him to dust. She was stood staring at the pile of dust on the floor. The watcher approached her.

"And there is your proof...I can understand that this is a lot to take in, Buffy?"

Head snapped up to look at him right in the eyes.

"I-I believe you...what happens now?" she questioned him

"Well firstly we must start your training, go over the history as I am fairly sure you would like to know more about who you are...stop by the library tomorrow, is that ok?"

She nodded.

"Sure...,"

The other teen looked on at the pair. She was good, he would admit that but he still didn't like her, yet. His dad looked at him and then back at her.

"We can walk you home if you like," Giles proposed and she shook her head.

"No...it's ok (looks at Spike) sorry," that was all she said as she walked out of the graveyard. The Giles men walked out five minutes after her.

"She said sorry," Spike stated

"Yes, she is a kind person at heart and I am sure she doesn't hate you,"

Spike scoffed at his dad.

"Like I care if she hates me or not...I'm only putting up with the chit coz I have to, it's won't change my opinion of her or feelings towards her," _Why did she say sorry? She felt bad about hurting me? God this was going to be a bloody interesting year _Spike thought. Giles smiled slightly. He thought that now and Giles could tell that his son was hiding his true feelings, even from himself.

What do you think guys? Sorry took me ages to update guys! Thanks for the reviews so far guys keep it up? I love long reviews with what you think and i don't mind some criticism :)


	9. The training begins

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter nine: The training begins

If you had told Buffy a few weeks a go that she was some sort of chosen one and had to fight vampires she would of just laughed in your face and asked if you were feeling ok. _Buffy, the vampire slayer, now that sounds catchy _She thought. The slayer made her way down the corridor. She had agreed to meet Giles in the library, before school. No doubt Spike would be there or maybe not, he seemed to love causing an annoyance in her life but last night he seemed different around her. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Unfortunately for Buffy, Cordelia spotted her and made her way over. No cordettes, just her. Cordelia grabbed Buffy's arm and took her into the girls' restroom. The brunette shoved the blonde against the sinks and put her hands either side of Buffy. Buffy swallowed hard. What the hell was going on?

"I'm going to make this perfectly clear so keep your geeky ears open...okay?"

The blonde nodded. Why the hell was she cowering? She could always push her away but that would cause Cordelia to go flying into the toilets and make her life even worse, probably get into trouble with Synder. No way was she doing that.

"I don't like it when people think it's funny to laugh at my pain...yeah Anya told me that you and that red-headed dork were laughing at me after gym, and not only that I think you caused Spike's black eye...not that I care, just to let you know I won't stop until I exact my revenge on you...so watch out," Cordelia cackled and walked away, leaving Buffy to readjust herself.

Xander and Willow were sitting in the lobby area of the school. The red-head was staring at Oz and Xander was trying to get her attention.

"So, Buffy has been acting weird recently, don't you think?"

No response. He rolled his eyes and clicked his fingers in front of her face. This snapped her out of her daze.

"What?"

"I said Buffy has been acting weird recently, don't you think?" Xander repeated.

"Yeah, I mean not doing her homework? Definitely not like her, oh and she isn't here yet...or maybe she is and we haven't seen her?"

"Will, whatever it is I'm sure the buffster will tell us sooner or later," he stated and Willow nodded. Meanwhile, Buffy had just arrived at the library. Giles had a huge stack of books on the table. She furrowed her brows and frowned. The watcher appeared from his office and had more books in his arms. He smiled.

"Ah Buffy,"

"Are all those books for me? (points to the books) only I have five minutes until 1st period so I can't stop,"

No Spike. That was a big relief to her. He nodded as he was arranging all the books into different piles. Quirky wasn't the word.

"As a matter of fact they are...history of the slayer, vampires, demons..."

"Demons? You mean I don't just fight vampires?"

"There are hundreds of different species of demons and vampires are just one,"

She blinked. Eyes were wide and mouth hung open. The bell rang for first period and Buffy found herself cursing.

"Lunchtime!" Giles shouted as she ran out the door.

Mrs Henson greeted all the students as they entered her classroom. William Giles actually arriving to lesson on time?!?! now that was a surprise. She smiled at him as he walked in.

"Nice to see you are on time for once, Mr Giles,"

Spike just went straight to his seat. He watched Red and the whelp's faces fall as they had seen that Buffy's seat was empty. Shock and concern etched all over them. He heard Cordelia cackle and make remarks at Xander as they sat down. Five minutes into the lesson and a very flushed looking blonde came bursting through the door. Everyone turned to look at her, except Spike. He rolled his eyes.

"Miss Summers I assume you have a perfectly good explanation for being FIVE minutes late," Mrs Henson raised her brows at her.

"I-I slept in, I'm really sorry Mrs Henson," she lied

The teacher nodded.

"Make sure that it is the last time it happens, ok?"

Buffy sighed with relief and sat down at her desk. She dared a look at him. The sun shone into the room and lit up his face, defining his highly chiselled cheek bones. She was staring at him. So much beauty in someone as dark as him. Spike turned towards her to find her big green eyes staring at him. Now his bright blue ones were staring at her. Her glasses were stopping him from staring deeper into them. Scarred brow raised at her.

"Have I got a bloody TV on my head?"

She snapped out of it, remembering who she was staring at.

"What? No...no Tv, just I- I can see your roots," She pointed to his head. His big, manly hand ran through his platinum locks. Spike chuckled.

"Is that all you've got? Some silly remark about...(Mrs Henson frowns at him) I'm shutting up," he informed his teacher.

Students sat around in the cafeteria. That's when she spotted them. Angel and Drusilla. Getting a little too cosy. He whispered something in her ear and she giggled. She was flirting with her boyfriend's best mate? Was she crazy? Good job Spike wasn't there to see this. _Wait a minute, where the hell is he? _Buffy thought. That moment he walked in. Luckily for Drusilla and Angel they had pulled away before he could see anything. He pulled her in for a kiss and he smiled. The blonde shook her head. If she went and told him what she had seen he would shrug it off saying that she was just causing trouble. So Buffy just grit her teeth.

"You slept in you say?"

"Yes," Buffy barked at Xander and he held his hands up in defence.

"Whoa, I only asked,"

She just picked up her stuff and tray.

"I gotta go,"

The blonde left her friends confused. Willow and Xander looked at each other.

"I think it's time we go in to action, don't you?"

"Uh-huh, shall I get my mack out?" Willow chirped and he looked at her, blankly.

"You know since we're going to go all Inspector Gadget," she explained.

The school day had ended. Giles and Spike were in the gym, waiting for her to arrive and true Buffy fashion she was on time. She greeted Giles with a smile and Spike with a half frown half concerned look and he just knitted his brows. Giles was all padded up ready to start training her and he instructed her to tap her hands up. The bleach blonde riffled through the equipment bag and found a stake to play with. Buffy stood in front of Giles now.

"Hit me,"

Now it was her turn to knit her brows. He wanted her to hit him. Wouldn't that hurt him or send him flying?

"What? I can't hit you..."

Spike was throwing the stake up into the air and catching it.

"Yes you can, it is a vital part of your training, unless you want to train with William?" he suggested.

Spike scoffed and she groaned, rolling her eyes. A small smile crept up on her lips.

"As much as I'd love to hit SPIKE, I really don't want him touching me, no offence Giles,"

The teen chuckled.

"Like I'd want to touch you anyway,"

She glared at him.

"God you're such a-," Giles interrupted.

"That is quite enough! (raises his mitted hands) now Buffy I want you to start hitting my hands...lead with the left,"

She began to hit his hands and he smiled at how easily she was picking this up. Spike had stopped throwing the stake and now was focussed on the pair. She was so tiny and fragile looking that it beat him how she was the slayer. He noticed her breathing hard and panting.

"Ok, that is enough of that (removes mitts and get hold of a wooden punching dummy) now lets see you do this,"

She wiped her brow to rid it of the sweat.

Next she practiced her punches on the wooden punching dummy. Something inside of her kicked in. Some sort of instinct that made her go crazy on it, throwing continuous rapid punches. "Buffy, that's enough," Giles stated.

She ignored him and kept whaling on the dummy. Spike looked on as he saw the rage kick in. She saw flashes of Dru and Angel at lunchtime and this served to drive her on. She didn't know why they got her so worked up. Xander and Willow were outside the gym, their noses pressed against the square windows of the doors.

"Buffy!" the watcher shouted.

She kicked it, and it broke in halve. All three of them stared at the now broken dummy. Their eyes popped out of their skulls and they quickly scurried away, whispering on the way.

"What the frilly hell is going on?!?" Willow squeaked

Back in the gym, Giles cleared his throat and looked at the petite blonde.

"Uh...I think that is quite enough for today,"

In the janitor's closet were Angel and Drusilla, making out. Angel ran his hands all over her body as they kissed. He suddenly stopped. "We-we shouldn't be doing this...what about Spike...he's like a brother..."

Drusilla hushed him with a slim, red-nailed finger pressed softly to his mouth. She smiled. "What daddy doesn't know won't hurt him," They continued kissing.

Hey guys what do you think? Sorry it took me so long to update i've had net problems! Thanks for the reviews so far and keep it up!


	10. First patrol

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter ten: First patrol

The same underground lair that had plagued Buffy's dreams was were two vampires were. They seem to be agitated and nervous. Another vampire was pacing in front of them. This vampire was different than the rest. He wore a leather all in one suit, had no hair and was permanently in vampire form. Also, around his mouth was stained with blood. Red eyes stared back at the vampires.

"Well I thought I told you to go feed, make me stronger...so why are you back here?"

Both of the vampires swallowed hard and the brown haired one pushed the black haired one forward.

"I'm waiting, Jonus!" he barked

Jonus cleared his throat.

"Well, you see...the thing is...erm-"

"There's a new slayer! She petite, blonde and very tasty looking, did I mention fragile, Master?" the other vampire interrupted him.

Master's look of anger turned into a smile.

"Fragile, did you say Lucas?"

"Indeed I did,"

He chuckled and looked at them both again.

"I want you to find out more about this _slayer_, but don't kill her, I want the pleasure of that myself!"

A small, strawberry blonde haired boy stood at a locker, sorting out his guitar case. He saw Spike exiting the school and made his way out to him. Spike was found sitting on a bench, smoking. The boy sat next to him.

"Do you think that's a good idea what with Synder on your back?"

Spike threw the stub to the ground and crushed it under his foot. He turned his head to the voice and shook the guy's hand.

"Oz man, hows it going? Can see you're still into playing," he stated, pointing to the guitar case.

"Yea, well more like for the band...anyway how come I haven't seen you at the bronze recently?" Oz questioned his friend.

"My dad grounded my arse and I can't go bleeding well anywhere without him! I mean I can't even go outside for a smoke..." he explained with a sigh.

Oz and Spike had been friends since Spike had moved here. He caught Oz scanning the crowd. Brows furrowed in concentration.

"Looking for someone in particular, Daniel?"

Oz laughed at the use of his proper name.

"Erm...just some girl I saw at the bronze the other night...kinda cute, red hair...sat next to some black haired guy,"

That could have been any red-head in the school. Red hair and she was sitting next to a black haired guy could only mean one person. Willow.

"If we see her in school you should point her out..."

His voice faded as something caught his eye. Drusilla and Angel walking together up the stairs and it looked like they were holding hands. He had to go and find out what was going on. Spike said his goodbyes to Oz and ran up to them, just catching them at the top.

"Hey! What's going on?" he breathed heavily as he caught his breath.

Angel and Dru swiftly turned to face him. Realising that he was staring at their hands Angel formulated a plan. Not that he wanted to.

"Dru's not feeling very well, are you?" he nudged her and let go of her hand. Spike was now holding her hand. She shook her head in the negative.

"What's wrong?" concern etched on his face.

"Just a headache, my love," she smiled weakly

The blonde wrapped his arm about his girlfriend and Angel spoke.

"I was just about to take her home,"

Spike's hand ran down her dark hair and let it rest on the small of her back. Blue eyes ran over her in concern.

"Thanks mate..I can take it from here,"

Angel nodded. As he watched the couple walk away he caught her blowing him a kiss. Angel sighed. This was definitely wrong but he couldn't help what he felt for her.

Buffy saw her friends sitting in the chem lab, huddled together. She walked towards them, slowly as she tried to hear what they were saying.

"No, you ask," Willow whispered

"Ask what?" Buffy said.

Both of their heads snapped up to meet their friend's inquisitive eyes.

"Buffy! Look Willow, it's our best friend Buffy,"

"I know it's Buffy, Xander," Willow said giggling.

These two were really acting strange, like they had done something wrong or were planning something. She sat down next to them. Cordelia went by and spilt something all over Buffy's book bag.

"Opps! My bad.." she said and purposely knocked into her shoulder.

All three of them scowled at her.

"Nothing you want to tell us, you know get off your chest?"

"No," Buffy said rather quickly. Too quickly.

Willow kicked him hard in the leg. He stared at her, pain on his face. While Buffy looked on at her friends. She had no idea of how dangerous being the slayer was and the trouble that it would cause.

Buffy huffed and groaned. She had read three books. Well more like one and she got Giles to read out the others. Giles detested this but was trying to ease her in after all. She lay her head on the table.

"Buffy, it is imperative that you keep focused,"

She lifted her head up, tiredly.

"I've been reading now for the past two hours, can't we just leave it at that?...besides school ends in a few minutes and I'm meant to be going to the bronze with my friends,"

That was it. He frowned at her.

"You cannot have a social life AND do your sacred duty, if I had it my way you wouldn't even be in school," he put his point across to her.

Buffy frowned at him and narrowed her eyes at him.

"But since I have to have an education you can't do that and how would you explain it to my mom if you did?" she grinned and raised her brow. Giles eyes sank as the bell went and as she got up to leave he spoke in an authoritative voice.

"Regular patrols are mandatory to your slaying, meet me tonight, 8pm, outside the bronze and we will go from there,"

"Okay!"

She pushed opened the library door and nearly went smack bang into Spike. She just ran past him, not even apologising to him. He shook his head and entered.

Wednesdays were never that pack in the bronze. What with it being the middle of the week and all. Buffy, Willow and Xander were dancing and all of the Cordettes pushed past them, causing Buffy to huff.

"Hey! You you've got eyes, use them!" Xander shouted but it fell on deaf ears.

"Xand it's fine, really, I've just grown immune to her stupid self, although one of these days she'll get what's coming to her," Buffy stated as she looked at her talking to Drusilla.

"And how exactly were you planning on doing this?" Willow questioned.

She shrugged and gave a grin.

"Maybe feed her to the lions on the next school field trip or stick gum in her hair...wow she'd definitely have a fit there," she giggled and her friends giggled too.

"Do the gum! Coz if you decided to feed her to the lions you would be charged for murder," the red-head pipped out, worriedly. Xander nodded his head in agreement. The blonde looked at her watch. 7:55 pm. She groaned inwardly, made her excuses and left the bronze. Xander and Willow looked at each other and saw this as an opportunity to follow her, so they seized that chance. As Buffy exited the club Giles was approaching her, Spike in toe. She rolled her eyes.

"Does **he** have to tag along everywhere?"

"Yes, he is grounded and therefore I do not want to leave him alone in the house," Giles explained

"What's it to you, Blondie?"

They were still squabbling all the way to the graveyard. Buffy's friends spotted her with the Giles' and found this odd. The second time in the space of two days she was caught with them. Something was definitely up and they were going to find out what.

Buffy sat on top of a tomb and surprisingly Spike was sat on next to her, which Xander and Willow found even more odder. Giles however was sharpening some stakes, with his back turned to the tombstone that they were hiding behind. The blonde began to swing her legs like a little child and tap her hand on her legs.

"Giles, how long do we have to wait exactly?"

"Well it depends really, hour or two or until something shows up," both of the blondes groaned and Spike rolled his eyes.

"I don't even need to be here, I could just go home..." he moaned and Buffy nodded in agreement.

"You are not going home! Now deal with it...plus you will benefit from this too, improve your fighting skills, William I want you to be able to hold your own if you come across a vampire or demon when you're alone," Spike grimaced at his father's use of his proper name and this caused Buffy to giggle at his annoyance. Vampire? Demon? What the hell? A group of three vampire came towards them and she hopped off the tomb and began to fight them. Spike jumped in one of the other vampires and Giles tried to fight the other one but failed miserably. Meanwhile, Xander and Willow peeped their heads up over the tomb to get a good look at what was going on. Eyes widened as the scene unfolded. Buffy threw multiple kicks and punches and the vampire match her blow to blow. Spike on the other hand had already dusted his vampire and started fighting the other. Buffy and Spike had now come back to back, each fighting their own vamp. The vampires both threw a punch at the pair and they ducked causing them to punch each other instead of the blondes. Spike was tackling the vampire and as he staked him Buffy staked hers. Giles, Willow and Xander looked on in shock. She helped him off the ground and she smiled. Spike smiled back and for the first time he found himself entranced by her smile and then he snapped out of it.

"Good job, anyone would think you were the slayer, not me," and that was when they emerged from their hiding place.

"So you gonna explain this to us?" Xander said and Willow looked on sheepishly.

Hey guys what do you think? Thanks for the reviews! I know there isn't much spuffy at the moment but i promise the next chapter will have a bit more in it :) keep on reading and reviewing guys!


	11. I love you but you don't love me

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter eleven: I love you, but you don't love me

The library. The globe up on the stack level was spinning. Giles stopped it while he lectured and made his way down to where Buffy, Willow, Xander and Spike were at the study table.

"This world is older than any of you know. Contrary to popular mythology,

it did not begin as a paradise. For untold eons demons walked the Earth. They made it their home, their... their Hell.

But in time they lost their purchase on this reality. The way was made for mortal animals, for, for man. All that remains of the old ones are vestiges, certain magicks, certain creatures," Giles explained and was faced with silence.

"And Vampires," Buffy pointed out.

Willow looked like she had seen a ghost and Xander looked like a rabbit in headlights.

"Okay, this is where I have a problem. See, because we're talking about vampires. We're having a talk with vampires in it," Xander said as he struggled to come to terms with it all.

"Isn't that what we saw last night?" the red-head asked

"No. No, th-those weren't vampires, those were just guys in thundering need of a facial Or maybe they had rabies, well that's what I said first time pops took me out,"Spike furrowed his brow. Everyone stared at the bleach blonde and the comment he had made was weird. Why was he there anyway? Xander rolled his eyes at him.

"And maybe they swim with dolphins?" the darked hair boy said sarcastically.

Spike scoffed. The slayer giggled but Giles threw her a warning glance. That shut her up.

"I-I need to sit down," Willow looked ill.

"You are sitting down,"

"Oh...good for me,"

Xander pursed his lips and started waving his hand about, theatrically.

"So vampires are demons?"

Giles nodded and as he began to speak both Buffy and Spike groaned.

"Here we go again," Buffy muttered to Spike and he grinned.

"The books tell the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed, infected by the demon's soul. He bit another, and another, and so they walk the Earth, feeding... Killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out, and the old ones to return,"

Silence once more.

"So when do we go out and kill these evil blood suckers?" Xander questioned

"There is no **we **it's **me**, I'm the slayer and its my job to kill them, not yours,"

Xander looked very annoyed and was pointing at Spike.

"What about captain peroxide? How come he gets to go and we don't?" he whined.

"Because I do, it's in my blood, whelp,"

The two boys were facing each other and they both looked ready to pounce. Buffy, glasses and all stepped in between them and pushed them both back down. Both of them scowling and rubbing their shoulders.

"Civilians cannot go on patrols or fight the forces of darkness, " the watcher stated

"But we could be like the slayerettes, I-I could help out with research, hacker action,"

It was the lunch hour and Spike hadn't seen Drusilla all day. He was worried, what with her having a bad head the other day. He decided to go wondering down the many corridors of the school, until he came across the music section. There was a crashing sound of things falling, which caused his head to turn towards it. When he got the the room the sound was coming from he couldn't believe the sight that was before his eyes. His girlfriend and his best friend were making out on a table. His nostrils flared, jaw clenched and his fist was ready to punch that idiots lights out. Spike pushed the door open and went straight at them, pulling Angel off Drusilla. He had Angel by the collar of his shirt and she just sat and watched them.

"How long?"

"Well uh-"

Spike slammed him up against the wall and screamed in his face.

"HOW LONG?!?"

"Summer...all summer," Angel gulped.

Spike glared at him and then at Drusilla. His blue orbs swimming with so much hurt and upset that he was finding it hard not to break down. He let go of him and ordered him out of the room. Drusilla went to follow and he stopped her. How could she do this to him? He loved her and he thought that she felt the same but it was obvious that she didn't.

"What's is so bloody wrong with me that you have to go get your itch scratched by Peaches, huh? I thought you loved me Dru...I've given you everything I have, my heart, body and soul and you go and do this to me!" he half yelled and half said with such anger and venom. Dru went to stroke his cheek but he pulled away from her.

"But you're wrong!..It'd not me who doesn't love you...because I love you but you don't love me," she stated

Confusion. That was what he was feeling. He loved her more than anything and here she is saying that he doesn't.

"How **DARE** you say that I don't love you..."

"But you don't, my sweet William, you're in love with sunshine,"

She gave him a wary look and then walked away, not noticing the tears that were falling from his eyes. Giles was frantic. Spike hadn't met him after school like they had arranged and it was now 5pm. Buffy had walked through the door to see him wearing a hole in the floor. She looked at him, worry clearly all over his face.

"Giles," she said softly

He spun around to see her looking at him confused.

"Oh..Buffy I- uh..."

"Spit it out Giles..."

"It's Spike, he hasn't turned up,"

hey guys what do you think? Sorry it took me ages to update and sorry that this chapter is really short thanks for the reviews and keep it up! I will update soon


	12. Warning

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter twelve: Warning.

The fear was written all over his face. She had never known him to be this frantic before. The instant he had told her that Spike had gone missing she instantly started to panic herself. She didn't know why though. It wasn't like they were the best of friends but something deep down inside of her pulled and made her feel unnerved. Buffy had told Giles to go home and that she would walk the street until her feet were covered in blisters if she had to just to find him. How could he be so selfish? Doesn't he ever think of anyone else? Questions that plagued her mind as she travelled through town.

Woods. Thick, tree-covered woods and he was standing in the middle of nowhere. Trash can. Inside were pictures of him and Dru, some of him, Dru and Angel on a beach. A teddy bear that she had gotten him for valentines day. Spike looked into the can and frowned as he picked up the petrol can, dosing the contents in petrol. The match was struck and he tossed it in. Staring. That was all he did was stare at the fire and smoke. Buffy was heading towards the woods when she saw the smoke so she headed off in the direction, not knowing what she would find. She slowed down as the fire and Spike came into view. Jaw slightly dropped and lips parted. She watched him from the distance for a little bit and then went towards him. He seemed to be in a trance by the flickers of orange flames and didn't know she was there until she spoke.

"Spike, what the hell are you doing?!?!" she exclaimed

"None of your business," came his shaky, yet quiet reply.

He refused to turn his head towards and kept his eyes focused on the flames. This annoyed Buffy and she frowned and wrinkled her nose up as she peeked into the can. She sighed and tried to look at his face. Were those tears on his cheeks? The big, bad Spike was crying? Buffy gently placed her hand on his arm and spoke

"Look at me,"

Spike swiftly turned his head toward her, nostrils flared and his face WAS stained with tears. Another twinge. For some reason seeing him like this made her feel so sorry for him. No not sorry, have an awful lot of empathy for him. She saw the anger, hurt, pain and tears swimming in his eyes and she felt the tears prickling in her own eyes but pushed them back inside.

"Why won't you just SOD OFF!" he shouted at her, pushing her hand off of his arm. He began to walk away from her but she ran in front of him. Now her nostrils were flared. _God who cares if he is upset no need to be rude_ she thought.

"What is your problem?...you know your dad is worried sick because he thinks something has happened to you, why have you got to be so pigheaded?"

Spike chuckled and shook his head.

"My problem? My problem is this...my GIRLFRIEND and BEST FRIEND have been shagging behind my bloody back all summer and yours truly had no idea...How could they? I love her so much and-and he was my best friend,she said that I was in love with sunshine! I mean do I have something wrong with me?" Spike asked the blonde girl in front of him, tears falling down onto his cheekbone as he broke down, slightly. Buffy regretted what she thought early on. She knew about this and she didn't tell him and now he was pouring out his feeling. Buffy frowned and looked at him. She felt herself being pulled closer to him. He was looking away from her now. Scared. Alone. Betrayed.

"There is nothing wrong with you...Hey, look at me," she willed and he turned to see her eyes looking at him filled with sorrow.

"We've had our differences in the past I'll admit that but what they did to you...it's just plain wrong and there is no way on this earth that you deserve ANY of that...if anyone is in the wrong then it's them, not you,"

She spoke so softly that it startled him. Buffy smiled softly and wiped away a stray tear from his cheek, letting her fingers linger a bit on his cheek. He furrowed his brows and she pulled them away

"Is he mad at me?"

"Not mad, it's more like a worried out of his mind/pissed off sort of thing...more the first one," she explained

"Oh,"

"We should get back before his head explodes,"

He smiled slightly at her comment and nodded his head. She smiled back.

The watcher was sat on the sofa, glass of whiskey in hand. He was on edge. What if someone had hurt him? His hand was shaking. His gripped the glass so much that it ended up smashing into little pieces, cutting his hand. Giles shook his head and removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he made his way to the bathroom. He winced as he used tweezers to get the shards out. Blood. William was his only flesh and blood and he was terrified of losing him. He knew that sometimes he pushed him to the limits but others he was so attentive and genuine that he was like Jekyll and Hyde. Two completely different people. He was just finishing bandaging his hand up when he heard the door open. Giles rushed to the living room. Relief washed over him as he saw his son standing there. The relief quickly changed to anger.

"Where the hell have you been? Have you any idea what you have put me through?," he said in rage and Buffy glanced at her watcher.

"Giles..." she warned

"No Buffy, he could have been in a ditch for all I knew...do you not think of anyone besides yourself!"

That had done it. Spike pushed past his dad, into his room and slammed the door. Not saying a word to his father. The slayer was glaring at Giles now.

"Well done Giles, you're really going to find out what's wrong like that," Buffy said, dripping with sarcasm.

Giles sighed and rubbed his temple this time.

"I am sorry Buffy, but how else do you expect me to react? How do you expect me to be?"

She shook her head in the negative.

"This is not about me...it's about Spike and right now he needs his father not someone who is going to punish and judge him...Giles he needs you to listen to him, god talk to him," Buffy exasparated and he frowned at her.

Something was evidently bothering Spike. He had never seen his son like this.

"Has he said anything to you?"

"Something to do with Drusilla...look just go talk to him, he needs **you**,"

Giles nodded his head and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you,"

"It's no problem...I hate seeing anyone like this, no matter how big a pain in the arse they are (glances at the clock, eyes widen) Oh god I have to go...see you Monday Giles!"

Saturday night, in the Giles household. Giles had attempted to talk to Spike last night, with no results. He sat outside his room for three hours before Spike came out. Drained of all emotions, tired. At least he had stopped crying. They sat and talked for a further hour or so. Spike had explained how Drusilla and Angel were having an affair behind his back. He explained how useless and betrayed he felt and how she had told him that she loved him but he didn't love her, that he loved sunshine. This baffled his father. He knew the girl was crackers but not that crackers. He had expressed his sympathy. He also tried to explain that he would find someone else that was worth his love but Spike was having none of it. He screamed and shouted that there would be no one else, that he loved Drusilla. And again he insisted that he would. Well, he was having none of it. He stormed back into his room and locked himself away. Now it was 8 PM and he only came out for toilet trips and food. Giles was increasingly worried but knew, that with time that his pain would be eased. The peroxide blonde came out of his room and grabbed his coat.

"I'm going out," he said before leaving the house.

Oz sat in the bronze with Devon and Mike from his band. They had the night off from performing in the club and decided they needed some R 'N' R. He heard Harmony and Cordelia talking about Dru and Angel. He fought the urge to go find that creep and punch his lights out. Oz spotted his best mate entering the club and going towards the bar.

"Hey, um I'm just gonna go see Spike,"

"That's cool Oz, check ya later, dude" Devon said

Mike waved to the strawberry blonde and Oz made his way over to Spike. He patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey man, sorry to hear about Dru," Oz expressed his empathy

"Don't be," Spike replied, absent mindedly

He just wanted to forget all about that bint. No matter what he did the image of them making out came popping back into his mind. Spike took his drink and went to the table were Mike and devon were sitting. Oz in toe. Both teens greeted the blonde and relaxed into their seats.

"What a bitch, eh? Cheating on you with your best mate, must cut deep," Mike commented. Spike was going to blow. Why wouldn't everyone just shut up about it! First Buffy, then his dad, then Oz and now Devon and Mike. He loved her but she couldn't of loved him otherwise she wouldn't of done what she did. He let out a slight chuckle.

"if I had a soddin' dollar for every person that had said that to me then i'd be a millionarie...they're welcome to eachother, don't get me wrong I still love her, always will," his voice filled with sadness

"Give it time," Oz said

"You need to move on dude, find someone that is worthy of your love...god I sound so sappy," Devon commented as he frowned.

A few minutes later Dru and Angel had appeared on the dance floor. She was grinding her hips against him and dancing sexily and he looked like he was loving every second of it. His hands wondering all over her body. Spike watched this exchange. Gritted teeth and clenched jaw. It was clearly obvious that he wasn't over it. His friends looked on at him, eyes tracking their every move and finally shut for a brief second as they kissed. Dru smiling up at him. The song ended and he watched Angel say his goodbyes to Dru and made his way out. Spike looked at her and then at the door. He took out his cigarettes and zippo.

"I'm going for a smoke," he announced, lighting it up as he walked away.

This wasn't him now. This was the monster inside him. He hid behind the wall and made sure that Angel was alone down the alley before he made his move. He ran up to him and punch him in the stomach. Then he rammed his boot into his side and watched him moan in pain. Sick smirk played on his lips and he laughed evilly. Spike grabbed Angel by his collar and slammed him hard against the brick wall.

"Feel manly now Peaches, huh? (punches him in the face) well, do you?" He ground out and Angel pushed him away. He wiped the blood from his lip and was holding his ribs.

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this but I can't help what I feel for Dru, Imean look at her, you know EXACTLY what I mean, don't you?...besides if she was really that happy with you then why was she coming to me for it?" Angel raised a brow.

Spike yelled as he lauched himself at his former friend. Punching him frantically in the face and ribs. Angel spat out blood and his eyes were already black and blue. The blue-eyed boy chucked again and pulled Angel back of the floor. He clicked his tounge and looked at him in disgust.

"Now I'm warning you stay the bloody hell away from me in school or I wont be responsible for my actions and I will so help me god make sure that you never see the light of day, got it?"

The brown haired teen nodded and Spike shuffed him hard against the wall as he let him go. He got right in his face and smiled evilly.

"Good,"

Angel fell to the floor in agony, holding his ribs and Spike walked away, rubbing his fists, grinning. _I think Peaches has learnt his lesson_ he thought.

What do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews guys please tell me what your favourite bit is so i know what works and what doesnt. Keep it up!


	13. Diary entry

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 13: Diary entry

Every other saturday the Summers women would sit around the TV and watch a few movies. Sometimes they were accompanied by Adrian. Others, Xander and Willow would come around but more often than not they were on their own. Even though she seemed like she was happy and ok, she wasn't. Buffy was still worried about Spike. How was he? How was he coping? Did he need anyone to talk to? This morning she had comtemplated on going round to see him but it probably wouldn't of sat well with him. Spike would of told her to sod off and that he was fine, although with him you can tell when he wasn't happy. If he wasn't happy he set all of the popular girls off. It was evident that this annoyed him and sometimes, before she had found out about being the slayer she would find him hidden amongst the stacks, rading poetry or Shakespeare. He explained it as having a calming affect on his mood and that he sometimes got lost in the words. Of course he made her swear to secretsy not to breath a word to anyone because it would make him look like a pounce and he didn't want that, oh no. Buffy knew she had feeling other than hate and loathe for him but she was so damn confused. She didn't know what it was but it was something she had never felt before.

The last film of the night had finished and Dawn went to bed. Buffy on the other hand had decided to stay up and help her mom clear the rubbish away. Joyce had insisted that she didn't need to but she helped anyway. She was drying the dishes when she spoke.

"Mom,"

"Yeah hon?" Joyce asked

"Uh...never mind," the slayer said and turned back to what she was doing. Joyce frowned and sighed at her daughter. A few minutes past and Joyce could feel her eyes burning holes into her.

"Mom...how do you know if- argh! It doesn't matter!" she slammed the tea towel down and her mother smiled. Her Buffy had feelings for someone and she was confused. Joyce could tell that from just looking at her. Joyce smiled at her and finished her sentence.

"If you have feelings for someone? If they are the right person? Well they make your stomach do backflips everytime they enter the same room and they don't have to look your way to give you butterflies...just one look from them, just one smile makes your day and when they're upset you feel the pain too...you-you want to help them, so who is the lucky guy?"

Buffy looked at her mother stunned. All of the things she had said ticked all the boxes of what she felt for Spike but she still hated him, most of the time. How come she suddenly felt like this? Only a couple of weeks ago she was moaning on to her friends about how he was making her life a misery and how she didn't want him as her study buddy.

"Oh, just someone from school...wow look at the time I'm going to bed, night mom,"

Joyce laughed and kissed her daughter on her forehead.

"Night Buffy,"

The teen sat on her bed. Baby blue PJ's on, hair in platts and glasses on. Buffy let out a long, heavy sigh and took out her diary. She was about to start writing in it when she noticed that her vision was blury. Buffy took her glaases off and her vision cleared up. Now this was weird. She placed them back on, then off, on and off and shrugged as she placed her glasses on the bedside table. Buffy took her pen and began to write in her diary.

_Saturday, 1st October, 2007._

_Dear Diary,_

_The past few weeks have been crazy. Firstly, there has been an increase of "Unusual" deaths over the summer and even more since I started back at school. I got Spike as my study buddy in English...okay he isn't so bad as I first said. Then I was in gym and I ended up breaking Cordelia's nose with a ball! A ball of all things! And okay she deserved that . That led to the WHOLE school talking about me, as if my life wasn't hard enough now I had THAT to deal with. Then I was attacked by some man and it turned out that he was a VAMPIRE! I mean can you believe it?!? Spike apparently seen or heard this and came running to the rescue, insisting that I had to go with him and that I didn't understand and I ended up punching him! Well he did deserve it though...anyways it gets better than that I get to school the next day and Giles called me to the library and said that I, me, moi was the vampire slayer and he went into some real junk on being "chosen" anyways to cut a long story shout I ended up meeting him at the graveyard and killing a vampire, so yeah I kinda believe him now._

_These past few days have been the hardest. Yesterday Spike went missing. God I felt so helpless, like a part of me had been chopped off. So I went looking for him and he was in the woods, setting fire to a bunch of photos and a teddy. God he made me so mad! I tried to get his attention but he was having none of it, stubborn SOB! But when he looked at me he had tear marks all down his cheeks. I felt really really bad when he told me what had happened with Dru and Angel, it made me sick. Not only because they would stoop that low and do that to him but because i sort of knew that something was going on and I never said anything to him. I felt like crying and pulling my hair out. God I felt so much pain for him I just wanted to cuddle him and say it would all be okay but I never, just walked him home and that was the last time I saw him. All I'm thinking about is him. What was he going through? What must he be feeling? If there is anyway I could help him? Not that he would accept it. I don't understand it I hated him with a fiery passion a few weeks ago and now I'm starting to have feelings for him. Why? Why him? Maybe it's because of the slaying or that we do have a lot in common but all we seem to do is argue. All I do know is that I think I'm falling for him, why else would I be feeling so bad about him and Dru but in a sense happy? Anyway I shoud get going to bed, it's late and I've got to help mom tomorrow at the gallery. Night night. Xxxx_

What do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews guys please tell me what your favourite bit is so i know what works and what doesnt. Keep up the reviews guys! Sorry this chapter is so short!


	14. Stabbed

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 14: Stabbed

Everyone was talking about it. The cordettes all distance themselves from Drusilla for the day but by the end of it they were talking to her. Angel had come into school looking like a walking bruise. A lot of people asking him what happened and he said "It's obivous what happened," got in a mood and walked off. He should of stopped it before it had chance to begin but he wasn't man enough. Spike, on the other hand had cheered up a tiny bit. It gave him great amusement to see the other jocks shunning him, well all of them except Riley. He never really liked farm boy much. But the tiny bit of happyness disappeared every time he saw them together. Spike fought the urge to go and teach him another lesson but he couldn't. He was in school, which meant he couldn't step out of line once more or he would be out that door faster than you could say abracadabra.Every second he had chance he stayed in the library, with his dad. Giles asked him if he was ok a hell of a lot which annoyed him. And last but not least Buffy turned up without her glasses, which shocked her friends alot. Cordelia made fun of her saying that she would never fit in. The blonde just ignored her.

Giles had decided to lift Spike's grounded status and to his surprise the bad boy teen decided to tag along on patrol. Buffy was getting restless feet again, sitting on the grass. Giles was reading from a text book and Spike was lying on top of a tomb. Unbeknown to any of them, the vampire that attacked Buffy, Jonus was watching them in the distance. The master had ordered that he find out as much as he could about this new slayer. Who her friends were, what her fighting was like etc. He knew that with her being new to the mix that once he got his wrinkly hands on her that it wouldn't be so hard to kill her. So Jonus just sat back and watched the trio. Spike had gotten so bored that he begun to play I spy.

"I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with...T,"

"Tree," Buffy answered

"Nope, try again love," he smirked

Buffy groaned inwardly at him. She didnt see much of him at school, just in english really and even then he hardly said two words to her and when he did he was still being a bit funny with her. Giles was constantly rolling his eyes at them. They were suppose to be concentrating on looking for vampires to dust, not playing some stupid children's game.

"Will you two stop and please focus!" he expressed his annoyance to them.

"Giles, there is no vamps to be seen, keep your hair on...Tomb,"

"Yeah dad she is right and it's not often I agree with her, ok you beat me this time...your turn," Spike pointed out to his dad, which was rewarded with a groan

"Ok, I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with...Vampire," she said as she spotted a Michael Jackson wannabe vampire heading towards him and she stood up off the ground and Spike looked at her perplexed.

"Uh Buffy, you're not meant to say the answer,"

Buffy had turned to him and scowled.

"Shut up Spike!" she exclaimed as she went off to fight the vampire.

Jonus watched in the distance as the slayer and vampire threw nurmerous kicks and punches. He was impressed with her fighting skills, but she was still new. She took out her stake and plunged it deep into his heart. Buffy turned around to face them, smile on her face.

The Master and Lucas were in the hell mouth when Jonus appeared with a semi-smile on his face. The master looked at him quizzically.

"How was it?"

"She is good Master, better than any other slayer I have ever seen but she is still new...If I were you-" Jonus was interrupted by the eldest vampire.

"You are not me...you never will be,carry on," he insisted

"Master might I suggest we act now while she is at her most vunerable," Jonus put forward to his leader.

The Master pondered over this for a few minutes. A sinister smile spread across his lips.

"I will send The Three,"

Both vampires eyes grew wide and chuckled along with The Master.

Three tough guys were lighting up cigarettes The Three came come around a corner at a steady, deliberate pace. The men saw them coming and left. A cockroach was being chased along the floor of the bronze. It was the annual fumigation of the bronze to rid the club of the crockroaches and if you got one you got a free drink.

"Get it! Go get it, right there!" a boy shouted

"I got it!" the girl next to him shouted back at him.

She held the roach up to the bartender and dropped it into his jar.

"Free drink, please," she stated

The bartender nodded his head and went to get the drink.

"Ah, the fumigation party," Willow said

Buffy and Willow were sitting at a table.

"Hmm?"

"It's an annual tradition. The closing of the Bronze for a few days to nuke the cockroaches? Please don't tell me you forgot about the last time," Buffy wasn't paying attention to her friend. She was scanning the crowd for Spike.

"Oh," came her absent minded reply

"It's a lot of fun... What's it like where you are?"

"(looks up and smiles) I'm... sorry, I was just... thinking about things..."

"So, we're talking about a guy?"

"Not exactly a guy. For us to have a conversation about a guy, there'd have to be a guy for us to have a conversation about. Is that a sentence?" Buffy's voice sounded very confused and she raised her brows slightly.

Willow smiled at her.

"You lack a guy,"

"I do. Which is fine with me, but..." she trailed off.

The red-head's eyes were popping out of her eye sockets. Buffy has a crush!!! but who?

"You've got a crush on someone, haven't you?so what is he like?" Willow narrowed her eyes and asked Buffy curiously about this guy. Buffy went into a dream-like state.

"When he is around... it's like the lights dim everywhere else. You know how it's like that with some guys?"

"Oh yeah!" Willow exclaimed. She was looking at Oz. The boy of her dreams and he looked back at her, smiled and waved. She nervously smiled back and waved lamely. Xander was on the dance floor, making a fool of himself. He danced up to a girl.

"Hey, Annie! (sees her boyfriend) Dino, just leaving!" he said nervously skitting his eyes around. As he backed away he bumped into Cordelia.

"Ouch! Please get your extreme oafishness off my two-hundred- dollar shoes, you moron!" She stated with annoyance.

"I'm sorry, I was just..."

"...getting off the dance floor before Annie Vega's boyfriend squashes you like a bug?" she filled in

"Oh, so you noticed," Xander hung his head, sheepishly.

"Uh-huh,"

"Yeah, thanks for being so understanding,"

"Sure,"

"Y'know, hey, I don't know what everyone's talking about. That outfit doesn't make you look like a hooker!"

He left the dance floor, laughing and leaving Cordelia looking herself over and she was frowning. He headed to his friends.

"Boy, that Cordelia is a regular breath of vile air. What are you vixens up to?" Xander inquired.

"Just sitting here, watching our barren lives pass us by. (sees a roach) Oh, look, a cockroach. (stomps it)"

Buffy lifted her eyes to see and then turned them back down.

"Whoa, well, let's stop this crazy whirligig of fun! I'm dizzy!" he said as he flopped down next to Willow.

" Alright, now I'm infecting those nearest and dear to me. I'm gonna call it a night,"

Buffy got up to leave and they both looked disappointed.

"Oh, don't go!"

"Uh, yeah! It's early! We could, um, dance!" he said, pointing to the dance floor.

"Rain check? Good night,"

Buffy left them alone. Xander let out a breath. Willow held her shoe up to him.

"Want a free drink?"

Buffy made her way out of the Bronze looking bummed. She passed the stairs. Spike was watching her go.

Buffy was walking home. She sensed something and stopped to look behind her. Nothing. She continued and walked past an alley. She heard a breath and stopped.

"It's late, I'm tired, and I don't wanna play games. Show yourself,"

One of the Three roared and dropped down to the sidewalk behind her. She reached into her coat, pulled out a stake and quickly spinned around to stake the vampire. Another of the Three grabbed her arm as she swung.

"Wuh!" she exclaimed, surprised.

The third member came up on her other side and grabbed her other arm.

"Ooo! Okay, okay, nice..."

They pulled her into the alley and up against a fence. The first one approached her

. "Okay, okay... Look, I really don't wanna fight all three of you... unless I have to," Buffy stated as she began to fight them. She snap kicked him in the crotch, elbowed the third, and tried to punch the second. He blocked her swing and thrusted his knee into her gut, slamming her into the fence. The other two recover and grabbed her again. The second one slowly approached her with death in his eyes. Buffy was terrified and struggled to get away. In the alley. The vampire came up to Buffy, grabbed her head and moved in to bite. Spike came up behind him, grabbed him by the hair and pulled him off of her.

"Good dogs don't... (punches the vampire) ...bite!"

Buffy was surprised, but quickly regained her head. Using the support of the two vampires holding onto her arms, she kicked up with both feet and hit them both in the face with a straddle kick. One of them grabbed her again and held her against the fence. Spike continued to fight the other two, punching one and snap kicking the second. One of them pulled a knife out of his pocket.

"Look out!" Buffy screamed as the vampire made his way towards the bleach blonde.

Spike turned around, only to be stabbed in the shoulder with the knife. Buffy shoved an open palm into her assailant's chin, pushing him off of her, punched him once in the gut and then slammed both fists into his head. Spike was bent over in pain and was about to be stabbed again. Buffy quickly side kicked his attacker in the face, and he fell back away from Spike. She helped Spike up.

"Run!" They came running out of the alley. The Three got up and gave chase.

Buffy's street. She and Spike Jumped over the bushes in front of her house and ran onto the porch. The Three were hot on their trail. Spike was clutching his shoulder and grimacing in pain. Buffy got the front door open.

"Get in! C'mon!"

She rushed him and herself inside. Spike was right behind her. Buffy slammed the door on one of the vampire's hands. He struggled for a moment, but pulled his hand back out. She slammed the door and locked it. One of the three looked through the glass and another looked through the window. Spike was panting hard and struggling a bit to breath.

"It's alright. A vampire can't come in unless it's invited," he stated, breathlessly.

"I've heard that before, but I've never put it to the test,you okay?" she replied. Buffy leaned on the door and saw his hand was covered in blood as he removed it. Her green eyes ran over him in concern.

"Oh... I'll go get some bandages, just... take your jacket and your shirt off,"

She headed into the kitchen. He looked out the window one last time and followed her. He took off his jacket and his T-shirt. His eyes widen as he noticed the hole in his leather duster.

"The grimy weasels! They ruined my duster! When I get my bloody hands on them..." He exhaled and frowned.

Buffy looked at him from behind and saw that luckily for Spike the knife hadn't gone all the way through to his back. She brought over the first aid kit, frowning at his comment. Was he crazy? He was stabbed and all he was worried about was his precious coat!

"You could have been killed tonight and all you're concerned with is your coat? (exhales) I was lucky you came along. (looks up at him) How did you happen to come along?" she questioned him as she bandaged him up.

"I was just out walking," he said with a shrug and then gritted his teeth as the pain shot through his shoulder.

"So, you weren't following me?" Spike smiled at her and scoffed.

"Now why would I do that?"

"You tell me,You always seem to appear out of nowhere,I'm not saying I'm not happy about it tonight, but... if you are hanging around I'd like to know why,"

Buffy raised her brow at him and finished bandaging him off. He was in a pickle. Truth be known he was on his own at the bronze and he saw her at the table with her friends. She looked pretty tonight but he soon pushed those thoughts away when he saw Dru and Angel again. Finally he got fed up and was on his way home.

"I was at the bronze, saw **them **so decided to go home and the rest you already know," he explained and smiled softly. He watched her for a while as her fingers played with the edge of the bandage. Spike took his hand and gently placed it over hers, causing her, for the first time to look him straight in the eyes. He was taken aback with how much concern that was showing in her eyes. Relief. Anger. Worry. They were all swirlling around in her green orbs and he found himself lost in them. Buffy heard the door open and quickly went to intercept her mom. Spike was secretly disappointed that she pulled away from his gase. Buffy was also still worried about The Three. She pulled her mom inside and closed the door. Buffy looked flustered.

"Hi! What are you doing?" Joyce eyed her daughter suspiously.

"There's a lot of weird people outside at night...where's Dawn?"

"Oh she is staying at Janice's,"

Joyce started towards the kitchen and Buffy follow her, hot on her heels.

"...I just feel better with you safe and sound inside. You must be beat," Buffy tried not to sound like she had done something but it failed.

"I am. We're a little gallery. You have no idea how much...," the blonde interruped her mother.

"Well, then why don't you go upstairs and get into bed, and I can bring you some hot tea?" she suggested.

"That's sweet! (suspiciously) What'd you do?" Joyce's eyes narrowed on her again and Buffy had crossed her arms over her chest.

"Can't a daughter just be concerned about her mother?"

Spike came into the living room behind Buffy, t-shirt now back on. Joyce saw him and smiled. She noticed his shirt was ripped.

"Hi William, what happened to you?" voice covered with concern.

"Oh Hi Mrs Summers...um-," Spike started but Buffy jumped in.

"He was mugged! yeah...uh after his coat, cut him, but nothing really to worry about, right?" she elbowed him lightly, out of sight of her mother and he jerked.

"Yeah that's right,"

Joyce gasped. Hand covered her mouth as she looked him over.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, thanks, Buffy patched me up good and proper," Spike smiled and Joyce smiled back.

"Well I'm off to bed, and Buffy?" she said as she started up the stairs.

The teen rolled her eyes and groaned a little bit.

"I'll say good night and do the same!" she finished off.

Joyce looked back down at her daughter and nodded.

"Good night,"

"Night mom,"

"Night Mrs Summers,"

The teens made their way back into the kitchen. Spike's eyes were firmly focussed on her. He noticed the time. It was late and he would have to get back before his dad took another fit like the other night. He sighed deeply.

"Look, I don't want to get you into any trouble so I'll make my way home,"

Buffy glared at him.

"No you won't! (Spike frowns) I don't wanna get you dead, your dad would have my guts for garters, plus they could still be out there...hey I'll call Giles and tell him to come and get you, how does that sound? ...uh we could even have some hot chocolate while we wait?" she suggested, brows raised, smiling slightly but coyly. He rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine, go call my dad and get his pouncy, tweed self to pick me up (pauses) do you have those lil' marshmellows?" She giggled and threw the pack of mini marshmellows at him.

Hey guys what do you think? Thanks for the reviews o far keep it up! What is your favourite bit of this chapter? Please tell me in your review so i know what works and what doesnt (sorry for spelling mistakes in the last chapter!)


	15. Snooping

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 15: Snooping

The room seemed so quiet. He warmed his big hands up on the mug of hot choclate that Buffy had made him. Speaking of Buffy she had gone to call Giles to let him know to come and get Spike. He seemed a bit distracted when she was first explaining but when she said that he had been stabbed he went into panic mode. The slayer had also said that they couldn't discuss what had happen because her mom was home and that she couldn't risk her finding out about her. The watcher agreed and said that he would be over in a short while and would wait outside in his car when he arrived. She walked back in the room, mug in hand and sat on the chair opposite him.

"He'll be here soon,"

He blew the hot chocolate to cool it down and watched the marshmeollows go round before he took a sip of it and he smiled.

"That is one hell of a hot chocolate you make Summers,"

"Thanks, my mom taught me how to make it...so...erm where's your mom?" Buffy said and watched his head raise to meet her gase. She shifted uncomfortably under his gase. Spike sagged his shoulders slightly.

"Last I heard she was living in New York (shrugs) don't hear much from her but she does send me birthday and christmas cards every year, normally with some cash in...other than that she doesn't bother to call or write, just goes to show how much I mean to her," a sarcastic chuckle escaped his lips.

She didn't know what to say to him. He visably looked upset so she pursed her lips and hesitated for a moment or two before she stood up and sat next to him on the sofa. Only a few inches in between them. She tilted her head a little.

"At least she still sends you cards, so in fact it's not too bad, it's not like she has **completely** forgot about you..." her voice trailed off and she sounded sad as she spoke.

Her dropped to the floor and Spike looked at her baffled. A frown had formed across his features as he looked at her and tried to figure out what she meant. He had never seen her dad around so maybe that was it. He placed his hand on her back and rubbed hesitantly as if to comfort her. Buffy lifted her gase to meet his and tears fell onto her cheeks. His thumb wiped them away and he spoke softly.

"Your dad is an idiot for abbandoning you and the bit,"

She smiled and corrected him.

"And Adrian (hears a car pulling up) that's your dad,"

Spike was staring at her as she said this and gave a half smile, then an eye roll. Spike finished his hot chocolate, got up and grabbed his coat. They walked to the door together and he walked out to go to the car and turned back.

"Thanks for patching me up,"

"Well thank you for stepping in before I was chopped up into lilttle pieces," she stated as if it was an eye for an eye. You saved me so I patch you up sort of thing.

"Right,"

"You better go," she pointed to Giles in the car, looking rather aggitated.

"Right, see you around then, pet,"

Spike turned away, got into his dad's car and Buffy stood watching them as they drove off.

The next morning the gang were all in the library, sat round the table, except the slayer. Xander had pointed out that he didn't see the point of Spike being there until Spike showed him the bandage on his shoulder. Willow gasped and Xander looked on curiously.

"The sods stabbed me, ruined the leather and that's why my (clears his throat) shiny, white bum is here,"

"I know he is an annoying idiot (Spike glares at her) and he is pigheaded and arrogant but if it wasn't for him then I would be in little bitty pieces," Buffy pointed out. Xander rolled his eyes at Buffy.

"Buffy, c'mon, wake up and smell the seduction. It's the oldest trick in the book,"

She looked at him in disbelief. "What? Saving my life? Getting stabbed in the shoulder?...yeah really seducing me Xand," she said angrily.

"Duh! I mean, guys'll do anything to impress a girl. I-I once drank an entire gallon of Gatorade without taking a breath," Xander stated, grinning. Now the bleach blonde was rolling his eyes.

"Just because you think thats "seducing" a girl doesn't mean the rest of us do, whelp,"

"It was pretty impressive. Although later there was an ick factor," the red head told the group.

Giles came over to the table, book in hand. "Can we steer this riveting conversation back to the events that happened earlier in the evening? (Buffy sits down) You left the Bronze and were set upon by three unusually virile vampires. (puts a book in front of her) Did they look like this?" She looked the picture over and over and nodded her head.

"Yeah. What's with the uniforms?" she enquired

"It seems you encountered the Three. Warrior vampires, very proud and very strong," the watcher explained. Willow frowned a little and turned to Giles.

"How is it you always know this stuff? You always know what's going on. I never know what's going on," she was obviously disappointed at the fact that he knew more than her.

"Well, you weren't up from midnight until six researching it,"

"No, I was sleeping,"

Spike took a peek at the book in front of Buffy. Those were definitely the guys that had stabbed him. The Three? Seemed really like an assasionation group or something.

"So, who are they?" Giles' son enquired.

Giles removed his glasses, cleaned them and put them back on. That was never a good sign. He had learnt over the years that when something bad happened or he didn't want to see something he would always do the glasses routine.

"From what I can remember, The three work for a vampire called The Master...now The Master has been around for a very long time...last I heard he-he was buried in the hell mouth because of an earthquake, the fact that The Three are now around can only mean one thing..." Giles sounded glum.

"and that is?" Xander willed him to carry on.

"The Master is planning on rising,"

The Master's lair. "We failed in our duty, and now our lives belong to you," one of the three said.

He handed the Master a spear. The Master passed it to Lucas. He started to walk around behind the Three as the Master went over to Collin.

"Pay attention, child. You are the Anointed, and there is much you must learn. (crouches beside him) With power comes responsibility. True, they did fail, but also true, we who walk at night share a common bond. The taking of a life -- I'm not talking about humans, of course -- is a serious matter," One of the Three raised his head in hope.

"So you would spare them?" the boy said

"Hmm. (gets up) I am weary, and their deaths will bring me little joy," The Master began to walk away, and Collin followed. Lucas watched them go and smiled. He lifted the spear and dispatched the first of the Three. The Master stopped and turned to Collin.

"Of course, sometimes a little is enough," he grinned

He looked over at Lucas as he killed the next one, then continued away.

Giles had set out a sign that read 'Library CLOSED for filing. Please come back tomorrow.' Buffy was checking out the weapons cabinet

. "Cool! Crossbow! (lifts it out, sees the bolts) Huh. Check out these babies. (takes out a bolt) Hmm. Goodbye stakes, hello flying fatality. What can I shoot?" she said excitement in her voice.

"Um, nothing. The crossbow comes later,"

He took the crossbow from her and went to put it back. Buffy was disappointed and pouting.

"You must first become proficient with the basic tools of combat. (Buffy looks bored) And let's begin... (comes back with two poles) ...with the quarterstaff. Which, incidentally, will, uh, require countless hours of vigorous training. (hands her one) I speak from experience,"

She looked quizzically at the stick and raised a brow at it.

"Giles, 20th Century? I'm not gonna be fighting Friar Tuck,"

"You never know with whom or what you'll be fighting. (puts on his head pads) And these traditions have been handed down through the ages. (grabs his staff) Now, you show me good, steady progress with the quarterstaff, and in due course we'll discuss the crossbow. Put on your pads," the watcher told his slayer.

Buffy started to laugh.

"I'm not gonna need pads to fight you," she kindly pointed out.

" Well, we'll see about that. En garde!"

He made several thrusts and she parried them all. She took the offensive, pushed his staff to the floor and punched him in the face. She came around with the staff into his back, and again to knock his legs out from under him. He fell onto his back. She stood over him. Giles looked stunned as he spoke.

"Good. Let's move on to the crossbow,"

A little brunette was sneaking in their way to Buffy's room. Dawn. She knew something was going on with her sister. First sneaking out and thinking no one would notice. Most nights rolling in at 10pm or sometimes a little bit earlier and giving some lame excuse about 'Studying' after school. She knew where all the answers would be. In her diary. So Dawn entered her big sister's room and grimaced at the stuffed pig on the bed. Mr Gordo. She began to look on all the table tops with no luck. She then started on the drawers. Riffling through the underwear, tops, socks etc and the little jewellery drawer by the side of the bed. She had checked everywhere and there was one place left. The other drawer on the other side of her bed. Dawn hurried over to it and tried to pull it open but it was locked. She huffed as she remembered she had seen a key somewhere. As she was riffuling around Buffy's desk, She entered. The littlest Summers quickly found a pen and picked it up.

"Dawn, what are you doing in **my** room?" she questioned, brows raised, arms folded and foot tapping on the floor.

Dawn's eyes widened and she held the pink, fluffy pen up.

"I-I was just taking my pen back," she explained as she walked away.

Buffy sighed and followed her out and down the stairs.

"You better not of been snooping Dawnie,"

"What? Me? Snooping? (laughs nervously) you are so blonde!" she exclaimed.

The girls entered the living room to see Joyce looking out of the window.

"Hey, what's going on?" Buffy asked

Dawn peeked out the window. She saw two removal vans and a silver car by the house next door.

"Looks like someone has bought Mr and Mrs Finlay's house," their mother expained. At number 1632 a slim looking, middle aged woman stood at the front door, holding it open for the removal men to get the stuff in. A young, blonde girl came up to the woman. She was about 5"3, had blue eyes and looked about 18 or 19. The woman smiled and put her arm around the girl.

"I think we'll settle in well here, don't you?" she spoke with a British accent.

The girl nodded a bit and smiled.

"Y-yeah I think w-we will...but what about d-dad?" the teen stuttered and spoke with a Birttish/American accent.

The woman frowned at her daughter and then sighed.

"Well... Rupert will be surprised to see us...come on Tara we've got packing to finish,"

what do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews and keep it up! What was your favourite bit so far?


	16. No right

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 16: No right

The gallery was quieter than normal. Joyce had busied herself with sorting out the new shipment of painting. She had been promoted to gallery manager a few weeks ago and had put an advert in the papers and on the internet for her old job and she had load of replies. One application that stood out was Miss Anne Mclay. She was the same age as Joyce, had a child and had already worked in an art gallery were she use to live. Joyce was impressed so she rang Miss Mclay up and arranged an interview for this afternoon.The woman from 1632 Revello drive was stood at the reception desk. She wore a black skirt, with a matching jacket, white shirt. She also wore see through tights and high heels. Hair left down. Joyce appeared out of the side office and went up too greet her.

"Anne Mclay? (extends her hand) Joyce Summers, I am gallery manager...if you would like to step into my office and we will go over you application and then I will give you the grand tour," she smiled as she shook her hand and showed her to the office.

Willow was stood at her locker, putting away her books from first period when Oz came up to her. He tapped her on the shoulder, causing her to jump.

"Oh! Hi-hi Oz, whatareyoudoinghereatmylockerIfyouwanttotalktoSpikeyou'vejustmissedhim," she babbled, breathlessly.

"I think you should breathe (smiles) I came over here to ask you if you would like to go for a pizza tonight? I mean you don't have to but I really like you,"

Willow's eyes lit up and she just beamed at him and looked dreamily into his eyes.

"Yeah sure, I would love to..."

"Ok, I'll meet you after school," Oz said and then he kissed her on the cheek.

Willow squealed and skipped to her next lesson.

The lesson was Bio and Willow sat next to Buffy. The blonde eyed her friend as she was smiling more than normal. It was not like Willow at all to be like this. The last time she was like this was when she aced her history test.

"Okay Will, spill," Buffy nudged her friend.

Willow turned to face her friend.

"Oz asked me out for pizza!" she whispered

Now she was grinning along with Willow. Willow had a date. Xander had been on a date but Buffy had never been on one. Not even with Xander. Okay Xander was one of her best friends but still. This got her down a bit.

"So were there smoochies?" Buffy asked, raising a brow.

"Buffy!(frowns)...he kissed me on the cheek,"

Willow touched where Oz had kissed and the frown was wiped away. Buffy looked glum and depressed. Last night set her off thinking about her dad and how he doesn't want anything to do with her or her siblings. For the first time she realised that her and Spike had more than vampire slaying in common. His little "Your dad was silly" speech threw her completely. She thought he hated her guts, but could he actually be recipocating the feelings that she had for him? No, not a chance in hell. He liked his girls hot and popular not ugly and geeky, oh and the slayer. She huffed and carried on with her work.

Anne entered the house and slipped her shoes off, sighing at the comfortable feeling of the soft carpet under her feet. She sank herself into the sofa and smiled as she heard the keetle finish. Tara must of seen the car coming and popped it on. A few minutes later Tara entered with two mugs, handing one to her mother. Herbal tea. Anne sniffed it and smiled.

"Ah you've been experimenting again?"

"Y-yeah, I got the recipe off this woman who works at t-the magic box," Tara explained.

She smiled as Anne smiled at the taste of the tea. Tara continued talking.

"S-so, how did you g-get on at the g-gallery?"

"I got the job (smiles) the woman who lives next door is the manager, really nice woman, I start tomorrow morning,"

"T-thats great mom,"

Anne looked at the clock and sighed. She told her daughter to drink up because they had somewhere to be. Tara questioned whether that was a good idea but she rarely argued with her mother.

The master paced in his lair, whilst Lucas and Jonus looked on. He seemed pensive in his stride and they could see the cogs going round in his mind. The slayer had somehow been able to fight Jonus and fight the three and still live.

"How strong is this slayer? Have you any proof of her killing any vampires?" the master queried

"I saw her kill one of us the other night and she fought me, and yet lives," Jonus replied darkly.

"Hmm, very nearly proof enough. I can't remember the last time that happened,"

"1843. Madrid. He caught him sleeping," Lucas reminded them

The master began to pace again.

"She mustn't be allowed to interfere with the Harvest!" he barked.

"I would never allow that!" Lucas said

"Oh don't worry I believe that she will come to us...after all we do have something that belongs to her,"

Lucas smiled at a very scared looking Mike.

"I only thought of you as a meal boy...looks like you've been upgraded to bait,"

Giles was sorting out his books and Spike was actually doing his homework for once. The watcher smiled as he watched his son get stuck into his maths homework. Grunts and groans came from him as he tried to work out the sums. A knock came at the door. Giles went to answer the door whilst Spike looked at the door quizzically. The middle-aged man's face dropped when he saw who was stood at the door. His ex wife and his daughter. At first he stared at Anne and glanced at Tara with a slight smile. Then he looked back at Anne, frowning. She cleared her throat.

"Not going to let us in Rupert?"

Unwillingly he stepped aside and let them in. Spike wasn't there now. _He must of gone to his room _Giles thought. Anne inspected the living area and the kitchen while Tara stood next to her dad.

"This is a nice place you've got here," Anne said as she came to stand infront of them.

Giles took off his glasses, cleaned them and put them back on before turning to his daughter. He stroked her hair lovingly.

"Tara...you haven't changed a bit (turns to Anne) what are you doing here?" he questioned her.

"We've moved here...besides I want to see my son,"

Giles scoffed at her.

"Now you want to see him after seven years? Now you actually bother to see how he is doing? You are unbelieveable Anne! You have no right waltzing back into his life like this!" he shouted at her but whispered it at the same time.

Spike had just returned to hear his dad yelling at some woman. Tara smiled as she saw her little brother.

"W-will!" she stuutered as she wrapped her arms around him.

He looked at her, confusion all over his face until she looked at him properly.

"Tara? What are you doing here?"

Anne turned to him and smiled.

"William, oh look at you! Aren't you just the lovelyest boy, why don't we sit down and catch up?" she chirped

Giles shook his head in the negative.

"No, William you go out, let me deal with your mother,"

Anne glared at Giles. He was telling him what to do? She had the right to see her son. Granted she hadn't been around for him but there were reasons why.

"You do not tell my son what to do, Rupert! William, I want to talk to you, stay here and we can do that,"

Tara and Spike looked back and forth as they watched their parents argue. Finally, he had enough. Spike stood in between them, jaw clenched.

"Will you two just shut the bloody hell up! You're both acting like teenagers(they become quiet)...right dad I'm going out (pauses) just so you know where I am I'll be at Buffy's...Mom leave your address and I will think about coming round," Spike grabbed his coat and left his bickering parents and Tara to it.

What do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews so far keep it up! What is your favourite bit?


	17. Rumbled

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 17: Rumbled

No Buffy. Check. No sign of mom. Check. Coast clear? Check! Dawn had wanted to go and read Buffy's diary ever since she started acting weird. The other day she had come close to reading it but unlucky for her, Buffy had got to her room just before she had chance to read it. Now was completely different. Her mom was downstairs sorting out yet more shipments for the gallery and her sister was in the backyard, studying. The brunette quickly sneaked into her sister's room and began to look for the key. It took her all of a minute to realise that Buffy had left her diary out. On her bed. She grinned to herself, picked up the book and went to her room. Dawn took off her sneakers, sat on her bed cross-legged and began to read it. Dawn had to double check at first to see if she was reading right. Vampires? Vampire slayer? What??? she shook her head and carried on. On a later entry she read more about these vampires and how Buffy thought she was a vampire slayer and there was something else that interested her. It read:

_Tonight was scary. Three biker looking vampires jumped me and I tried to fight back, but it was no good. Lucky for me Spike came and unlucky for him he ended up getting stabbed. I patched him up and we had hot chocolate. God I can't believe I'm saying this but...WOW he's a hunk! And those eyes of his??? how dreamy, like they are penetrating or something._

Dawn dropped the diary and started giggling. Buffy fancied Spike? That was priceless. By this point the blonde had come in from the backyard and was in her room and she really freaked out when she saw her diary was missing.

"DAWN!" she yelled and she thundered her way to her little sister's room. Dawn's eyes grew wide. Oh no! Buffy stormed into her room and was scowling at Dawn. The scowl turned more angry as she spotted the brunette trying to hide the boom behind her back.

"Please tell me you didn't read that? (looks at Dawn) OHMYGOD! My diary? You read my diary? (takes it off her) That is not okay! A diary is like a person's most private place! (comes back to stand at the door) I... You don't even know what I was writing about! 'Hunk' can mean a lot of things, bad things. And, and when it says that his eyes are 'penetrating', I meant to write 'bulging'," Buffy was panicking.

Her little sister had read her diary and now knew about the vampires and the fact that she was a vampire slayer. Not only that she now knew about her fancying the pants off Spike.

"So...vampires? And you're the **vampire** slayer?" Dawn said seriously.

"Shhh! You do not say a word of this to anyone do you hear?"

She nodded and began to sing.

"Buffy and Spike sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

The slayer screamed in anger and threw a pillow at Dawn.

He dragged the last of his cigarette out and threw the stub on the floor, crushing it with his boot. He didn't know why he was here but strangely when his mom and sister showed up it was the only place he wanted to be. Spike wanted to talk to Buffy and tell her what had happened. Really he should have been talking to his friends but they were all busy. Oz was on a date with Willow, Devon had some family do and no one had seen Mike all afternoon. He smoothed out his his and rapped his knuckles against the door. A few moments later the door was opened to reveal Dawn. The girl grinned at him and he just looked at her perplexed.

"Hey Spike, whatcha doin' here?" she said, saying it loud enough so that Buffy, who was in the kitchen could hear it.

"Hey lil' bit, is Buffy around?"

"You mean queen dorky? She's in the kitchen," she piped

Joyce had just appeared behind her, laundry basket in hand and smiled.

"William, don't just stand there, come in...honestly the amount of washing these girls make is amazing,"

She entered the kitchen and noticed Buffy looking rather worried. She didn't get chance to ask her what was wrong because Dawn and Spike had entered.

"Hey pet," he greeted her

"Hey..." she mumbled

Buffy had made fresh lemonade. She poured out a glass and passed it to Spike.

"Here, have a try,"

He took a sip, coughed a bit at the sour taste but covered it up with a smile.

"not bad," he covered up

As the littlest Summers left the room she hummed the k-i-s-s-i-n-g song. Spike looked at her perplexed and Buffy looked worried again. The petite blonde took a taste of her lemonade, wrinkled her nose up and spat it out.

"it's really not that nice, is it?" Buffy looked to Spike, who looked back at her sheepishly.

"Didn't want to upset you...but on the upside, good try,"

She poured the remainders of the sour liquid into the sink and got out some apple juice. When she had turned back to him his look had changed. Before he was happy but now his expression had darkened, sadness shining right through his eyes and directly at her. Buffy stood looking at him for a moment, took in a deep breath and spoke.

"So, what's with the visit?

He sighed and sagged his shoulders.

"Just, er, you know how I told you about me mum and everythin'?"

"Yeah," she replied slowly, nodding her head.

His Caribbean blue eyes threatened to spill tears as he tried to get the courage up to explain.

"She and my sister are apparently now living here in Sunnydale and she wants to get to know me...I don't know what to say to her (groans with frustration) why is this so bloody differcult? She hasn't been here for me the past seven years, so why now? I just don't get it," he whispered the last part.

Buffy placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Well maybe you should go and ask her...let her explain to you and then if you still don't wanna know then you have that right...I mean she can't force you into having a relationship with her," she pointed out and he smiled slightly.

"I guess you're right...you don't think I could stay the night do you? It's just I don't want to go back home and see her right now,"

"I'll have to check with my mom, hang on,"

Buffy went down to the basement. Joyce was still sorting out the laundry. Huffing and puffing as she sorted it into different piles.

"Mom, can Spike stay tonight? (Joyce frowns) it's just because he is having a bit of trouble at home...please?" she went all doe eyed and did the trademark pout.

Joyce sighed and rolled her eyes.

"As long as he confirms it with his father, then it's fine by me,"

The slayer smiled and kissed her mom on the cheek.

"Thanks!" she exclaimed and bounced back up the stairs.

9:30 PM. Spike had gotten the permission off of Giles to stay at Buffy's. They had decided that had would sleep on her bedroom floor. The reason she gave to her mom and Spike was that she didn't want him to be all alone in the basement. He bought it but her mother didn't. She knew that there was something more going on with her when it came to the peroxide teen, she just needed more time to figure it out. So here they were, 9:30 PM, studying. Buffy was crossed legged on her bed, wearing her 'I love sushi' Pjs and hair in pigtails and Spike was sat opposite her, legs stretched out and he was wearing PJ bottoms and a white vest top. The slayer found herself looking up from her notepad and taking a peek at his arms and chest. Man did he have muscles! But as soon as he lifted his head up she instantly returned to what she was doing, biting her lip in the process. Suddenly, the phone rang, causing Buffy to jump and Spike to laugh at her. She frowned at him as she picked up the phone.

"Hello...Oh hey Wills...okay calm down and take a breath, what happened? (Spike looks bewildered) wow I mean that's just...ON THE LIPS!!!!...Willow you saucy vixen!...ok ok I'm sorry, anything else happen?...I can't believe it, you two are actually going out...oh, me? Nothin' much, just studying, you know...see you tomorrow, bye Wills," she hung up the phone to see Spike grinning.

"I see from that very interesting conversation I actually don't need to know the other half,and do you realise you sounded just like Cordelia then"

Buffy huffed and threw Mr Gordo at him square in the face. He picked up a pillow and threw it at her and before they knew it, it had turned into a full blown pillow fight. She swung at him and he fell off the bed and banged his head on the table. But he was still in a giggling fit. She rushed over to him, hand over mouth, kneeling beside him.

"Oh god Spike, I am so sorry...are you okay?" she gasped

He rubbed the back of his head and smiled up at her.

"M'fine (grabs Mr.Gordo) you better run, missy!"

The next day, after school he had decided to go and visit his mother. He was less than pleased to find out that she lived next door to Buffy. Last night for the first time since he and Dru had split up Spike had actually had a laugh and he least expected it to be with her. The more time that he spent with her, the more he was beginning to like the chit. The more he liked her, the more he was noticing how cute she was. The little thing she did with her nose and the way her eyes lit up when she was laughing. _Ok Spike snap out of it _ he thought. He knocked on the door and was greeted by Anne.

"William, come on in," she said ushering him in.

"The name's Spike now," he corrected her

He entered and took in his surroundings. It was full of old English nick nacks. Photos of his mother and sister were up on the fireplace. Spike went up to them and studied them closely.

"Can I get you anything? Tea? Juice? Maybe something to eat?" she offered.

He shook his head and sat down on the sofa.

"No, I've only come here to hear what you've got to say for yourself...so explain to me why you haven't seen me for the past seven years...Anne, what went on?" Spike refused to call her mum and that saddened her.

Anne cleared her throat and sat next to him and began to explain.

"Firstly, I just need you to know that there hasn't been a day that has gone by that I haven't thought about you (tries to put a hand to his cheek but he pulls away) Your father and I were having problems for two years before we parted...I was absolutely convinced he was having an affair with a slayer...Wesley's slayer (he looks disgusted) but it turned out I was wrong...it was all too much for us, tearing us both apart and it wasn't doing any good for you or Tara...so one day I wrote your father a note, telling him I'd had enough and that I was leaving for New York, with Tara..."

He glared at her. Nostrils flared and a look of pure hatred had washed over his features.

"You just bloody well up and left? You left me! Why didn't you take me, huh?"

"It wasn't like that, Spike please listen...(sighs) after you were born me and your father had agreed on something, that if we ever did get divorced that I would have Tara and he would have you, please understand,"

He shook his head violently and abruptly stood up.

"I understand that but what I don't get is why you never visited...look I'm going, need to calm down,"

And that was it. Spike stormed out, leaving Anne feeling upset and useless.

What do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews so far, keep it up! What is your favourite bit?


	18. Halloween

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 18: Halloween

Pop's Pumpkin Patch. A sign over the stand past another one counting off the days until Halloween to a pumpkin on the ground aglow with a candle. Buffy landed flat on her back on top of it. She looked up at the vampire that just threw her and saw him coming toward her. She grabbed a squash lying on the ground behind her and threw it at him, hitting him in the forehead. She followed it up with a pumpkin. The vampire staggered back a few steps. Buffy hopped back to her feet. She pulled a stake out of her shirt and launched it at him. He grabbed the scarecrow and pulled it over in front of him so the stake impaled it instead. He shoved the scarecrow aside and came at her with a roundhouse kick. They started fighting hand-to-hand. View of them through a camcorder. The 'record' light was on. Another vampire was taping the fight. He got closer for a better view. Buffy continued to fight the first vampire. The 'battery low' indicator started flashing. A moment later the view became snowy, and the vampire took the camcorder away from his eye. He jostled it, and it started working again. He raised it back to his eye to continue recording. The fight went on, and a few hits later the first vampire knocked Buffy into the hay wagon. She held onto the side of the wagon and kicked the vampire to the ground. She turned around with her back to the wagon and grabbed the railing as the vampire gets back up. She raised her legs and grabbed the vampire's head in a scissor hold. She twisted her body and flips him over sideways onto the ground. Stepping away from the wagon, she spied the sign and then looked down at the vampire. He tried to grab for her legs, so she jumped over him and somersaulted to the countdown sign. She pulled it out of the ground and swung it at his legs as he came for her, knocking them out from under him. She raised the sign and jammed the end of the signpost into his chest. The vampire burst into ashes. Buffy left the sign stuck in the ground at its new location and walked out of the pumpkin patch. The second vampire lowered the camcorder and slowly backed away as he watched her go.

School the next day. Sign-ups were being taken for the volunteer safety program for Halloween. Principal Snyder took one of the clipboards and looked around the hall. He grabbed the next girl that walked by and pulled her aside.

"Hey!" the girl said

"You're volunteering," he stated, with a smile

He held out the clipboard and pen to her. Willow, Buffy, Xander and Spike come in from the other hall.

"But I have to get to class,"

Snyder just shrugged. The team walked past him.

"Snyder must be in charge of the volunteer safety program for Halloween this year," Willow said

"Note his interesting take on the volunteer concept," Buffy added

"What's the deal?" Spike asked the group.

They've reached Willow's locker, and she worked the combination.

"Oh, a bunch of little kids need people to take them trick-or-treating. Sign up and get your own pack of sugar-hyped little runts for the night," Xander explained to Spike

The bleach blonde shuddered at the thought of it. Hyped up little kiddies? No thank you!

"Yikes. I'll stick to vampires,"

Snyder put his hand on Spike's shoulder, and he spun around to face him.

"Mr Giles, Just the juvenile delinquent I've been looking for,"

"Principal Snyder!" "Halloween must be a big night for you. Tossing eggs, keying cars, bobbing for apples, one pathetic cry for help after another. Well, (leads her to the sign-up table) not this year, mister," he smiled, yet again.

Willow,Xander and Buffy came stand behind him. "Gosh, I'd love to sign up, but I recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome, and can tragically no longer hold a flashlight," Snyder held up the clipboard and pen.

"The program starts at four, the children have to be back at six," Spike reluctantly grabbed the pen and clipboard and signed himself up. Xander thought it was funny that captain peroxide was getting dragged into something he didn't want to do. He smiled back at Buffy and Willow had a concerned look on her face. Snyder held pens out to Willow, Buffy and Xander too. They all looked at him, begging not to be put through this. Willow gave in and took the pen. The others followed suit not looking very happy with the situation.

"I can't believe this. We have to get dressed up and the whole deal?" Xander groaned out.

"Snyder said costumes were mandatory," Spike said

"Great. I was gonna stay in and veg. The one night a year things are supposed to be quiet for me," Buffy huffed

"Halloween quiet? Oh, I figured it'd be a big old vamp scare- apalooza," the dark haired boy questioned

"Not according to dad, He swears that tomorrow night is, like, dead for the undead. They stay in,"

Willow began to smile. "Those wacky vampires! That's why I love 'em! They just keep you guessing!" she exclaimed.

The gang entered the library , to be faced with a serious looking Giles

. "Dad, what's wrong?" He looked at the gang, grimly.

"Mike Parson has gone missing...a-and I have a feeling that it has something to do with the harvest,"

They all looked shocked. The harvest? What's the harvest? And why was Mike involved. Spike had gone pale. Xander was dumbfound, Willow looked sickened and Buffy looked confused.

"What's the harvest?" she asked Giles began to read from the text book.

"'For they will gather and be gathered. From the Vessel pours life.' P... Pours life...(He turns the page back to the picture of Satan feeding power to a man) 'On the night of the crescent moon, the first past the solstice it will come...' Of course. That's tonight! The master is planning on making a vessel so that he can get stronger, but of course!" him exclaimed.

The slayer looked visibly pissed.

"It can't be tonight...tonight is Halloween and there is much fun to be had, besides we're all on trick or treating duty," she protested

"Why the hell does he need Mike then?" Spike expressed his anger and confusion all in one.

"Heaven knows...tonight Buffy will patrol, AFTER the trick or treating, search out every corner, underground place that this town has, whatever it takes, we have to get Mike back...alive,"

In a new fancy dress shop called Ethan's. A dark haired man was kneeling before his statue of Janus, which had a face of a man on one side and on the other was a face of a woman. He pressed his hands together and winced in pain. When he pulled them apart there were wounds in his palms, and blood flows freely from them.

"The world that denies thee, thou inhabit,"

He dabbed the blood from his left hand with his right middle finger and smeared it over his right eyelid.

"The peace that ignores thee,..." He dabbed the blood from his right hand with his left middle finger and smears it over his left eyelid.

"...thou corrupt,"

He dabbed the blood from his left hand with his right middle finger again and smeared a cross onto his forehead.

"Chaos. I remain, as ever, thy faithful, degenerate son," he finished his chant.

"Okay, Willow, come out. You can't hide in there all night,"

"O-okay, but, but promise you won't laugh?" the red head said nervously

"I promise,"

Willow opened the door and came out wearing boots, a short, black leather skirt and a burgundy, long-sleeved, V-necked, midriff-baring top. She was uncomfortable, and quickly stepped over to her ghost sheet and picked it up. The slayer was dressed in a frilly, red, billowy 18th-century gown Buffy smiled at her friend.

"Wow! You're a dish!" she complimented her friend

Willow tried to hide herself with the sheet, but Buffy took it from her and tossed it aside.

"I mean, really,"

Willow was very uncomfortable and tried to cover herself with her arms.

"But this just isn't me," Willow fidgeted even more with her costume.

"And that's the point. (walks around Willow to show her the mirror) Look, Halloween is the night that not you is you, but not you. Y'know?" she explained

The doorbell rang.

"Oh! That's Xander. Are you ready?"

"Yeah. O-o-okay," she nervously replied

"Cool! I can't wait for the boys, in specific Oz to go non-verbal when they see you!"

Buffy went to answer the door and Willow was still trying to cover herself. Buffy came down the stairs and opened the door for Xander. He entered saluting with his toy rifle in his hand.

"Private Harris reporting for... (sees Buffy in her costume) Buffy! Lady of Buffdom, Duchess of Buffonia, I am in awe! I completely renounce spandex!" Xander babbled as he took in the view of his best friend.

She looked wonderful. She curtsied to him.

"Thank you, kind sir. (Xander bows) But wait till you see..."

They turned to look up the stairs at Willow. She had put on the ghost sheet. It said 'BOO!' on the front in large bold letters.

"Hi,"

"...Casper,"

"Hey, Will! That's aaa fine boo you got there,"

Buffy was disappointed. Xander just stared.

At the school. Children were arriving in costume to be taken trick- or-treating. Inside to the hall by the stairs. Buffy was standing there holding a clipboard, waiting for her charges. Snyder brought them to her. Then he took another group towards Spike, who was dressed as none other than Dracula.

"This is your group, Giles. No need to speak to them. The last thing they need is your influence. Just bring them back in one piece and I won't expel you,"

Synder began to leave and Spike bent down to the children.

"Hi," he greeted them

"Ah, ah!"

Spike straightened back up and rolled his eyes. Xander in his soldier outfit. Larry comes by dressed as a pirate.

"Where's your bodyguard, Harris? Curling her hair?"

He jumped at Xander, making him flinch. He laughed in Xander's face and went. Xander pointed his rifle at him, but then dismissed him. The other day Larry was harassing Xander and Buffy had pulled him off Xander, causing Xander to get a reputation of a coward. Oz was checking his guitar at his locker. Cordelia came into the hall wearing a tight-fitting catsuit and walks up to him.

"Oz. Oz."

He looked up at her.

"Hey, Cordelia. Jeez, you're like a great big cat,"

"It's my costume. Are you guys playing tonight?" she queried

"Yeah, at the Shelter Club,"

"Is Mr. I'm-the-lead-singer-I'm-so-great-I-don't-have-to-show- up-for-my-date-or-even-call gonna be there?"

"Yeah, y'know, he's just going by 'Devon' now," he informed her

"Well, you can tell him that I don't care, and that I didn't even mention it. And that I didn't even see you. So that's just fine,"

"So, what do I tell him?" Oz asked sheepishly

"Nothing! Jeez! Get with the program!" Cordelia exclaimed and walked off in a huff.

"Why can't Willow be more like that?" he said sarcastically

Xander was now briefing his group. He had them all lined up and standing at attention.

"Okay, on sleazing extra candy: tears are key. Tears will normally get you the double-bagger. You can also try the old 'you missed me' routine, but it's risky. Only go there for chocolate. Understood?"

They all nodded their heads.

"Okay, troops,"

He turned and faced down the hall. The kids followed his lead.

"Let's move out,"

They began to march out of the school, bags and buckets in hand.

A student dressed as a vampire was escorting a group of kids. They walk by Buffy's group coming back from a house. Buffy crouched down to see what they got.

"What did Mrs. Davis give you?" she enquired

They all pulled out toothbrushes.

"She must be stopped. Let's hit one more house. (gets up) We still have a few more minutes before I need to get you back," They continued on to the next house.

At the back room at Ethan's. He weaved a spell in Latin.

" Janus, evoco vestram animam. Exaudi meam causam. Carpe noctem pro consilio vestro. Veni, appare et nobis monstra quod est infinita potestas,"

Translation: Janus, I invoke your spirit. Hear my plea. Seize the night for your own reason. Come, appear and show to us that which is infinite power.

Willow followed her charges along the porch to the door.

"C'mon, guys," she ushered them

One of the kids wearing a green monster mask on his head rang the bell and stepped back. An old lady answered the door. The kid with the mask pulled it down over his face.

"Trick-or-treat!" The old lady smiled at the children.

"Oh, my goodness, aren't you adorable!"

Back to Ethan's. "Persona se corpum et sanguium commutandum est. Vestra sancta praesentia concrescet viscera. Janus! Sume noctem!" he continued

Translation: The mask transforms itself into flesh and blood. Your holy presence curdles the heart. Janus! Take the night! Back to Buffy.

A wind began to blow. She sensed something isn't quite right. Back to the Lady with Willow's kids. She looked into her empty candy bucket.

"Oh, dear! Am I all out?" she said sadly

Back to Ethan's. He raised his head. "Showtime!" he said, grinning madly.

Back to the Lady's house. "I could've sworn I had more candy,"

The kid wearing a red rubber cap with horns morphed into a horned, red skinned monster.

"I'm sorry, mister monster. (bends down) Maybe I..." she began to apologise.

The kid with the green mask had changed into a monster also, and grabbed the lady by the neck and began to choke her. The other kids screamed and ran away.

"No! Let her go!" Willow shouted frantically

The red monster attacked the green one, and he let go of the lady. The two monsters were at each other's throats.

"Stop! What're you doing?!"

The lady ran into the house and slammed the door shut.

"Stop! Hey!" she screamed.

The two monsters kept on fighting, ignoring Willow. She suddenly started to feel weak.

Xander was standing there watching all the parents and children running around him. Things were being thrown and windows were being broken. Willow staggered a bit as the two monsters kept fighting.

"Ohmigod! Can't breathe..." she panicked

She collapsed to the floor.

Back to Xander. He jerked back like he had just been hit by something. He bent over slightly, looked down and lowered his toy rifle. Slowly he straightened back up and surveyed the scene around him. He raised his rifle again and cradled the fully automatic M-16 in his hands. He shouldered the weapon and spun around, scanning for a target. When he didn't immediately find one, he took the rifle from his shoulder and held it ready.

Willow was on the porch. She got up out of her body and looked down at it. She was only wearing her sexy outfit now without the sheet.

"Ohmigod! I'm a real ghost!" she gasped

She heard automatic rifle fire and turned to look.

"Xander?" She ran out into the street and came up behind him.

"Xander!" He spun around and pointed his M-16 at her.

"It's me, Willow!" she told him who she was.

He looked at her, baffled.

"I don't know any Willow," he stated

"Xander, quit messing around. This is no time for jokes,"

"What the hell's going on here?"

"You don't know me?" Willow looked at Xander, brows raised.

He lifted his rifle away from her. "Lady, I suggest you find cover," He started to walk past her but Willow got in front of him.

"No, wait!" Xander walked right through her. They're both were surprised by the experience.

"Oh!"

Xander turned around and pointed his weapon at her again. She turned to face him.

"What are you?" he frowned

"Xander, listen to me. I'm on your side, I swear! Something crazy is happening. I was dressed as a ghost for Halloween, a-and now I am a ghost. And you were supposed to be a soldier, and now I, I-I guess you're a real soldier," Willow explained

"You expect me to believe that?"

A monster appeared across the street, growling. Xander pointed his rifle at it. It ran away. Willow jumped in front of him.

"No! No guns! That's still a little kid in there!"

"Step out of the way!"

"No guns! That's an order!" she ordered him like an army general would

He lowered the rifle. "We just need to find... (sees her) Buffy!"

She ran across the street over to Buffy. Xander followed.

"Buffy! Are you okay?" she asked her friend

The monster was back with a friend, and they both roared as they approached. Xander shouldered his M-16 again and took aim.

"This could be a situation,"

"Buffy, what do we do?"

Buffy stared at Willow, fainted and fell to the ground.

The street. Xander fired off a couple dozen rounds at the approaching monsters. They turned and ran. Xander lowered his rifle. Willow was kneeling beside Buffy, who was lying against a tree.

"Buffy, are you alright?" Willow asked her friend once more

"What?" Buffy asked the strange looking woman in front of her.

"Are you hurt?" Xander asked her

Buffy sat up and looked at them both, bewilderment all over her face.

"Buffy?" The red head turned to Xander.

"She's not Buffy,"

"Who's Buffy?" he asked Willow

"Oh, this is fun. (turns Buffy) What year is this?"

Xander took Buffy's hand and helped her up.

"1775, I believe. (confused and hyperventilating) I-I don't understand. Who are you?"

"We're friends,"

"F-friends of whom? Y-your dress... Everything is strange! How did I come to be here?"

"Breathe, okay, breathe. You're gonna faint again. (to Xander) How are we supposed to get through this without the Slayer?" Xander looked at Willow, then and Buffy and finally back at Willow.

"What's a Slayer?"

A monster came around the tree behind Buffy and roared, fangs bared and claws raised to attack. Buffy screamed and backed off. Xander jumped in and whacked the monster across the face with the butt of his rifle, knocking it down and out.

"I suggest we get inside before we come across anything..." He was interrupted by Buffy screaming.

"A DEMON! A DEMON! (gets behind Xander) A DEMON!"

A sport utility vehicle came driving down the street with its headlights on.

"That's not a demon. It's a car," she informed her.

"What does it want?" Buffy asked, shakily.

"Is this woman insane?"

"She's never seen a car,"

"She's never seen a car?"

"She's from the past,"

"And you're a ghost,"

"Yes! Now let's get inside," Willow barked

"I just want you to know that I'm taking a lot on faith here. Where do we go?"

The red head stopped and thought for a minute.

"Where's the closest... We can go to a friend's,"

The Summers house. The kitchen. Xander opened the door and scanned the room. "All clear!" he shouted Willow walked in.

"Hello? Mrs. Summers? (no response) Good, she's gone,"

He closed the door. "Where are we?" the slayer asked

"Your place. Now we just need to..."

There was a banging at the front door. Xander went to investigate, and Willow and Buffy followed.

"Don't open it!"

"Could be a civilian,"

"Or a mini demon," Willow pointed out.

Buffy noticed a picture on a table and went over to look. She picked it up, and saw it's of her wearing a spaghetti strap top. She turned around as Willow came over to her.

"This... this could be me," she continued to stare at the picture.

"It is you. Buffy, can't you remember at all?" Willow sounded concerned.

"No! I, I don't understand any of this! Uh, uh, th... This is some other girl! (puts the picture back) I would never wear this, that low apparel, and I don't like this place, and I don't like you, and I just wanna go home!" she exclaimed, tears falling onto her cheeks.

"You are home!" Willow turned back to Xander.

"She couldn't've dressed up like Xena?" she rolled her eyes.

Xander scanned the outside through one of the small windows in the door. He moved away just as a monster punched through the glass and reached for him. It pulled its hand back as Xander raised his M-16.

"Not a civilian!" Willow shouted

"Affirmative!"

Xander took aim through a broken portal

"Hey! What did we say?!"

Xander let loose a volley of bullets.

Willow winced at the noise. Buffy bowed her head and covered her ears. Xander rolled away from the door when he's finished his burst.

"Big noise scare monster, remember?" he reminded them.

"Got it,"

They heard a woman screaming outside. Xander looked out again.

"Damn it!"

He opened the door and went out to rescue whomever it is, pulling the door closed behind him. Buffy ran up to Willow. "

Surely he'll not desert us!" Buffy was petrified.

Willow shook her head.

"Whatever,"

She rolled her eyes and headed into the living room. Buffy is wide-eyed with fear.

Outside. Cordelia screamed as she ran from a sasquatch.

"Somebody help me!"

She looked back at the monster chasing her and screamed. When she turned back around again she ran into Xander.

"Xander! Help me!" she squealed

"Come inside!" He took her by her elbow and lead her to the house.

Inside. Willow watched through the window. Xander and Cordelia quickly came in through the door.

"Cordelia!"

"Wait a... What's going on?" she raised a brow at Willow and Buffy.

"Okay, your name is Cordelia, you're not a cat, you're in high school, and we're your friends. Well, sort of," she tried to explain. Cordelia rolled her eyes and huffed.

"That's nice, Willow. And you went mental when?"

"You know us?"

"Yeah. Lucky me. What's with the name game?"

"A lot's going on,"

"No kidding. I was just attacked by Jo-Jo, the Dog-Faced Boy. Look at my costume! (shows the torn sleeve) Do you really think that Partytown's gonna give me my deposit back? Not on the likely," she moaned.

Xander had taken his shirt off and put it around her shoulders.

"Here,"

Cordelia looked at him, quizzically. "Thanks,"

"Okay. You guys stay here while I get some help. If something tries to get in, just fight it off," Willow had formulated a plan.

"Well, i-it's not our place to fight. Uh, surely some men will protect us?"

The cat pointed at Buffy. "What's that riff?"

"I-it's like amnesia, okay? They don't know who they are. Just sit tight," Willow started to leave.

"Who died and made her the boss?" Willow walked through the wall behind Cordelia. Buffy stared in wide-eyed amazement.

Xander brought a chair over from the dining room. He turned to Cordelia.

"You! Check upstairs. Make sure everything's locked up,"

He positioned the chair to help hold the table they've upended against the window in place. Cordelia headed upstairs.

"Surely there's somewhere we can go. A safe haven,"

"Lady said stay put,"

"You would take orders from a woman? A-are you feeble in some way?" Buffy frowned at Xander

"Ma'am, in the Army we have a saying: sit down and shut the..."

He saw a picture on the floor.

"Whoa!" He picked it up. It's was of the three of them.

"She must be right. We must have some kind of amnesia,"

"I don't know what that is, but I'm certain I don't have it. I bathe quite often!" she stuck her nose up in the air, snubbing the picture completely.

"How do you explain this?" he wiggled the picture at her.

"I don't! I was brought up a proper lady. I-I wasn't meant to understand things. I'm just meant to look pretty, and then someone nice will marry me. Possibly a Baron," she narrowed her eyes to show that she was thinking.

"This ain't no tea party, princess. Sooner or later you're gonna have to fight!" Xander shouted at her "these low creatures? (snotty) I'd sooner die," She crossed her arms.

"Then you'll die,"

Spike came in from the kitchen. He looked Buffy and Xander over. She looked wonderful but that wasn't important.

"Oh, good! You guys are alright. It's total chaos out there," he said, breathless

They both looked at him. "Who are you?" they both said.

"Okay, somebody wanna fill me in?"

"Do you live here?" Xander asked the strange looking man dressed as a vampire.

"No, and you know that. Buffy, (she jumps) I'm lost here. You...What's up with your hair?" he narrowed his eyes on her.

Buffy lifted a hand to her hair to have a feel. Cordelia walked back in.

"They don't know who they are, everyone's turned into a monster, it's a whole big thing. (smiles) How are you?" The lights went out. Buffy grabbed Cordelia in fright.

"Do you mind?"

she looked at her clinging onto her arm in disgust. Buffy lets go of her. Xander turned to Spike.

"You take the princess and secure the kitchen. Catwoman, you're with me,"

Xander ordered. Cordelia followed Xander as Spike headed for the kitchen.

"But I don't wanna go with you! I-I like the man with the musket!" Buffy protested. Spike took her arm.

"C'mon,"

"Do you have a musket?"

They went into the kitchen. Spike saw that the door is open.

"I didn't leave that open,"

He quietly moved toward the door as he looked around for an intruder. He closed the door. The basement door behind Buffy opened, and a vampire attacked her. She tried to push the door closed on him. Spike grabbed the vampire and wrestled him to the floor. It's the student escort in a vampire costume.

"A stake!" Spike shouted as he fought.

"A what?"

"Get me a stake!"

Buffy looked around and grabbed a knife she saw on the counter. Spike growled impatiently.

"Hurry up!"

He turned to look what's keeping her and had a mad face on. Buffy looked at the vampire and screamed at the top of her lungs. She ran for the door.

"Buffy, no!" he shouted after her.

She opened the door and ran out. Giles was going through a stack of cards he's pulled from the card catalogue. He heard yelling and sirens outside and looked up, wondering what's going on. He saw Willow come though the wall and jumped in complete surprise, letting the cards fly all over the place.

"Jeez!"

"Hi," Willow waved, lamely

Giles calmed down a bit.

"Uh... ah... (speechless) huh..."

He walked to the cage to get a stack of old papers. He blew the dust off of them and came back out. Willow was looking at a book.

"I don't even know what I'm looking for. Plus I can't turn the page," she pointed out.

"Well, alright, l-let's, let's, let's review. (sets the papers on the table) Um, so everybody became, uh, whatever they were masquerading as,"

"Right. Xander was a soldier and Buffy was an 18th-century girl,"

"A-and, uh, your, your costume?" he looked at her in confusion

"I'm a ghost!"

"Yes. Um... w, uh, uh, uh, the ghost of what, exactly?"

Willow covered her midriff with her arms.

"Well, this is nothing. You should see what Cordelia was wearing. A-a, a unitard with cat things, like ears and stuff," Giles couldn't believe it. Cordelia could be a cat?

"Good heavens. Uh, sh-sh-she became an actual feline?" he enquired

"No! She was the same old Cordelia. Just in a cat costume,"

"She didn't change," The red headed ghost began to pace the room

"No. Hold on... Partytown. She told us she got her outfit from Partytown,"

"A-a-and everyone who changed, they, they, they, they acquired their costumes where?"

"We all got ours at a new place. Ethan's,"

Down an alley. Buffy ran between all the trash that's piled up there. To another the street. Cordelia, Spike and Xander are looking for Buffy. Xander had his rifle raised and ready. They kept on walking.

"Are you sure she came this way?"

"No," same his quick reply

"She'll be okay,I'm sure her dorky self can handle them, I mean what are they?" Cordelia piped

"Buffy would be okay. Whoever she is now, she's helpless and THEY are bloody demons, now C'mon!"

Behind a tree where Jonus was hiding and overhearing their conversation. He turned to the child monsters Willow was chaperoning. "Do you hear that, my friends?" The monsters nodded and growled.

"Somewhere out here is the tenderest meat you've ever tasted, and all we have to do is find her first!" he said, rubbing his hands with glee. Buffy had stopped running and leaned against a crate. She sniffed and looked around, frightened.

What do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews so far and keep it up!


	19. The harvest

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 19: The Harvest

The alley. Buffy looked around, trying to decide what to do. She lifted her skirt a bit and started to walk. She turned around to look behind her and took a few steps backward. When she turned back around Larry, who had turned into a pirate, startled her. He smiled widely at her, showing his rotten teeth.

"Pretty, pretty!"

Buffy tried to run away, and Larry gave chase.

Ethan's Costume Shop. Giles looked around as he and Willow came in.

"Hello! Anyone home?"

Willow saw the curtain to the back room partially open.

"Giles...," she warned.

They slowly went in and saw the statue of Janus there. Its eyes glowed green.

"Janus. Roman mythical god," Giles said as he studied the statue closer.

"What does this mean?"

"Primarily the division of self. Male and female, light and dark," he explained.

Ethan appeared out of the shadows.

"Chunky and creamy. Oh, no, sorry, that's peanut butter," Ethan chuckled.

Giles stared at Ethan as though he'd seen a ghost.

"Willow, get out of here, now," he ordered her.

"But..." "Now!" he barked, causing her to jump

She obeyed him and left.

"Hello, Ethan,"

"Hello, Ripper,"

Buffy backed away from Larry. She turned to run, but tripped and fell. Her gown billowed out around her. Larry grabbed her as she tried to get up and shoved her against a crate. He pushed her hair away from her frightened face and moved in to kiss her. Xander came running and tackled Larry down to the pavement. He got up and pulled Larry up and into a metal warehouse door. He punched him in the face and gut. Larry pushed him off and into the opposite alley wall and punched him back in the gut. Xander grabbed Larry's arm and pulled it behind his back, forcing him to bend over, and kneed him in the stomach. Cordelia arrived behind Buffy with Spike.

"Buffy! Are you okay?" Spike asked the slayer, running his eyes over her in concern.

Buffy saw Spike and nodded slowly. Larry attacked Xander with his pirate's sword. Xander sidestepped him, grabbed him by the wrist and twisted his arm around, making him drop the sword. He lifted Larry back up and punched him, sending him sprawling into a pile of trash. Spike headed over to Xander fighting Larry. Xander punched Larry, sending him into the pile of trash and a stack of boxes again. Several boxes fell off of the top and onto Larry. He was knocked out cold. Xander turned to look at a shocked and bewildered Spike.

"It's strange, but beating up that pirate gave me a weird sense of closure,"

Willow came running down the alley from the other end.

"Guys!" she shouted

"Red!" Spike shouted back at her.

"Guys, you gotta get inside," She looked back and they see Jonus and his monster gang coming.

"We need a triage!" Xander suggested

Spike pointed the other way.

"This way! Find an open warehouse,"

Xander turned and picked up his rifle.

"Ladies, we're on the move!" He quickly headed down the alley.

Cordelia and Willow followed him. Spike lifted Buffy and carried her away.

Jonus and the monsters walked after them at a quick, deliberate pace. Ethan and Giles were circling and staring each other down. "What? No hug? Aren't you pleased to see your old mate, Rupert?"

"I'm just surprised I didn't guess it was you. This Halloween stunt stinks of Ethan Rayne," the watcher pointed out.

"Yes, it does, doesn't it? Don't wish to blow my own trumpet, but it's genius. The very embodiment of 'be careful what you wish for'," Ethan bragged.

Giles scoffed at him.

"It's sick, brutal, and it harms the innocent,"

"Oh, and we all know that you are the champion of innocents and all things pure and good, Rupert. It's quite a little act you've got going here, old man,"

"It's no act. It's who I am,"

"Who you are? The Watcher, sniveling, tweed-clad guardian of the Slayer and her kin? I think not. I know who you are, Rupert, and I know what you're capable of. (considers) But they don't, do they? They have no idea where you come from," Ethan snicker once more

"Break the spell, Ethan. Then leave this place and never come back," he warned his old friend

"Why should I? What's in the bargain for me?"

"You get to live,"

"Oh, Rupert, you're scaring me," he mocked him.

Giles punched him in the gut with a left, making him double over, and followed up with a right to the face.

Spike had gotten ahead of the others and found an open warehouse.

"Over here!" he rushed in, Buffy in his arms.

Xander pushed the door aside, and they all hurried in.

"Check if there are any other ways in!"

He slid the door closed again as Spike set Buffy back down on her feet next to Cordelia.

"Just stay here,"

The monsters arrived and started pounding on the door from outside. Xander picked up a large grate and set it in front of the door on top of some barrels he already moved into place. Buffy was holding on tightly to Cordelia.

"Oh, faboo, more clinging," she huffed

Xander picked up another grate and set it behind the first one as the monsters got the door open. They pounded against it as he tried to hold it in place.

"GOOOOO!" Xander screamed

They all started running again, and Xander followed when he can no longer hold the grating against the monsters. The grates fell to the floor as two monsters came in and push the barrels aside.Jonus followed them in and looked around. He lead the monsters off after them.

Ethan was on the floor, severely beaten up.

"And you said the Ripper was long gone," he managed to chuckle out

"Tell me how to stop the spell,"

"Say 'pretty please'" he mocked the watcher again

Giles kicked him hard in the kidney, and he yelled out in pain.

Jonus had caught up with them, and the monsters held Xander and Spike. He slowly closed in on Buffy as she backed away, trembling.

"Look at you. Shaking. Terrified. Alone. Lost little lamb,"

Buffy had backed up against a crate and can't go any further. He slapped her across the face with the back of his hand.

"I love it," Jonus admitted

Spike struggled with the two monsters that held him.

"Buffy!" he shouted out to her.

Jonus put his left hand around her throat and bent her backward onto the crate. He stroked her forehead with his right hand. Xander struggled with his two captors. He grabbed Buffy's hair and closed in for the bite.

Giles kicked him again. "Now, tell me how to stop the spell," he asked him one last time.

"Janus. Break its statue," Ethan choked out.

Giles grabbed the statue and lifted it over his head to smash it.

Xander got free of the monsters and punched one in the face, the other in the gut, and then shoved the second monster into the first. Jonus closed in on Buffy. Xander turned his attention to Jonus.

"Now that guy you can shoot," Willow informed Xander

Xander grabbed his M-16.

Giles threw the statue hard to the floor, smashing it into tiny pieces. Xander shouldered his toy rifle.

"What the..."

The monsters had all turned back into children and student escorts. The kids were frightened, and began to cry and complain.

"I'm scared! I want my mommy!"

Jonus looked back at them and straightened up. He pulled on Buffy's hair to pull her up and found he just had a wig in his hands. He looked at Buffy. She got up off of the crate and smiled at him.

"Hi, honey. I'm home,"

She punched him in the gut, twice in the face, and kicked him in the chest, making him stagger back into a set of mobile stairs. He grabbed a length of pipe that's leaning there and swung it at her. She caught the end of it and pulled him around and into the crate he had her against. She used the pipe like a quarterstaff and swung it into his jaw and jabbed him in the stomach. He doubled over in pain.

"You know what? It's good to be me,"

She brought the pipe up into his chin from underneath. He flew back onto the crate, then slid off onto the floor.

Giles looked behind him and saw that Ethan had gone.

Buffy was through fighting. Jonus got up and growled at her, then made a hasty retreat. Buffy dropped the pipe and turned to the others. Xander came over to her.

"Hey, Buff. Welcome back,"

"Yeah! You, too,"

Cordelia stared at the group.

"You guys remember what happened?" she piped

"It was way creepy. It's like I was there, but I couldn't get out," he relayed how it felt.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. This outfit's totally skintight,"

Now everyone was staring at her. She looked up at Spike as he came over to Buffy.

Spike saw Buffy, now back to her normal blonde self. He smiled at her.

"Tada. Just little old 20th-century me," she twirled around in her dress.

"Sure you're okay?" he narrowed his eyes on her.

"I'll live, all that is to do now is stop the harvest and save Mike,"

He put his arm around her shoulders, in a friendly way and led her away. Cordelia and Xander were left with the children. The cat woman folded her arms and sighed.

"Well, (indicates the kids) I guess you better get them back to their parents,"

Xander looked around.

"Yeah, everybody seems to... Where's Willow?"

At the house where Willow collapsed. She woke and got up, pulling the ghost sheet off. She was a bit out of breath. She realized how she's dressed and started to put the sheet back on, but thought better of it and threw it into a trash can as she walked off the porch. Oz was sat in his van and when she walked past all he could do was stare. Mouth hung open.

"Wow,"

Everyone, except Cordelia, who had gone to the bronze had gone to the library. They had to find Mike and fast. Buffy turned to Giles.

"So, Giles! Got anything that can make this day any worse?" she questioned

He went over to the whiteboard and put down his pen.

"How about the end of the world?" he suggested.

"Knew I could count on you,"

"This is what we know. Some sixty years ago, a very old, very powerful vampire came to this shore, not just to feed," the watcher began to explain to the group.

"He came 'cause this town's a mystical who's it," the slayer sighed

"Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it 'Boca del Infierno'. Roughly translated, 'Hellmouth'. It's a sort of, um, portal between this reality and the next. This vampire hopes to open it,"

"Bring the demons back," Spike added.

"End of the world," Xander added.

Willow: But he blew it! Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that  
swallowed half the town, and him, too.

"You see, opening dimensional portals is a tricky business. Odds are he got himself stuck, rather like a, uh, cork in a bottle," Giles tried to create a word picture for the scoobies.

"And this Harvest thing is to get him bloody well out,"

"It comes once in a century, on this night. The Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free and open the portal. The minion is called the Vessel, and he bears this symbol,"

He drew a three-pointed star on the whiteboard.

"So, I dust anyone sporting that symbol, and no Harvest,"

"Simply put, yes,"

"Any idea where this little get-together is being held?" she queried the group.

"They're goin' to the Bronze," Spike simply said

Willow looked at him, questioningly.  
"Are you sure?"

"Come on. All those tasty young morsels all over the place? Anyway, that's where Mike's gonna be, trust me,"

Giles grabbed his coat and started out of the library. The others began to follow.

Outside the Bronze. The vampires began to head in. A doorman looked up at them.

"Need ID. Hey! Nobody gets inside until I get some sorta...,"

Lucus growled in the doorman's face.

"Get inside," he ordered

Inside the bronze. The vampires came in, pushing the doorman in with them. The last one shut the door and stood guard.

Lyrics: _How are you feelin'/ Do you feel okay/ 'Cause I don't!_

One of the vampires made his way to the upper level. Another one found  
the main power switch and shut it off. The people started complaining and  
wondering what happened. Lucus got up on the stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! There is no cause for alarm. Actually, there is cause for alarm. It just won't do any good," he grinned.

There were screams from the crowd as they saw Lucus' face. He laughed.

"I thought there wasn't any band tonight,"

Cordelia looked at Mike next to her. He had got his game face on, and she  
inhaled in fright.

"This is a glorious night! It is also the last one any of you shall ever see. Bring me the first," Lucus barked his order

A vampire brought the doorman to him.

"What do you guys want, man, huh? You want money? Man, what's wrong with your faces?"

Luke grabbed him by the throat. He wrapped his other arm around the doorman's head.

"Watch me, people. Fear is like an elixir. It's almost like blood,"

He bit the doorman and fed on him. The doorman screamed. The Master in his lair. He raised his head as he felt the first of the souls that will be taken for him. Lucus dropped the doorman's body.

"Next!"

Outside. The team arrived running. Buffy tried the door.

"It's locked!"

"We're too late!" the watcher panicked

Spike looked at the locked door, then he looked at the slayer.

"Can you break it down?" he asked her

"No, not that thing. Um... You guys try the back entrance, and I'll find my own way,"

"Right. Come on,"

Buffy tossed her weapons bag to Willow

"You get the exit cleared and the people out. That's all! Don't go Wild Bunch on me," she frowned as she went off

"Uh, see you inside, then,"

Giles, Spike, Xander and Willow ran around to the back. Willow tried the door. It was locked, too.

"No joy!"

"We've gotta get in there before they kill Mike," the bleached blonde said.

Mike was like a brother to him and the last thing he wanted was to find him dead.

Back to the Master, he was testing his confines. Back to Lucus, feeding on a girl.

"Almost free!" the master shouted, happily.

Back to Lucus, who was still feeding on the girl.

He had finished with the girl and dropped her body. Jonus and Mike. He wanted to take Cordelia to Lucus

"This one's mine!" Mike barked

"They're all for the Master,"

Jonus pulled on Cordelia. Mike let go of her.

"I don't get one?" Mike whined

Buffy was breaking an upper window and was crawling in.

"I feel the Master's strength growing!"

Buffy saw Lucus on the stage.

"I feel him rising. Every soul brings him closer! I need another!"

"The Vessel," she whispered to herself.

The vampire on the upper level saw Buffy and growled. She looked over at  
him.

"Tonight is his ascension. Tonight will be history at its end! Yours is a glorious sacrifice! Degradation most holy. (no one in the crowd stirs) What? No volunteers?!" Lucus shouted at the crowd.

Jonus brought him Cordelia.

"Here's a pretty one," he cackled

Cordelia screamed when she saw him up close. He caressed her face. He was about to bite her when Buffy kicked the vampire down from above them.  
Lucus watched him land with a thud. Buffy approached the railing.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you in the middle of something?" she tilted her head to one side.

"You!"

"You didn't think I'd miss this. Did you?"

"I hoped you'd come,"

"Be right down!"

She stepped away from the railing and executed a round off to get down. She landed on a pool table. A vampire attacked from her right. Buffy did a front walkover off of the table, grabbing a pool cue on the way. When she landed she thrusted it into her attacker and let go. He began to fall and burst into ashes. Buffy crossed her arms over her chest and looked the vessel up and down.

"Okay, Vessel boy. You want blood?"

She showed off her neck a little bit.

"I want yours! (releases Cordelia) Only yours!"

She shrugged.

"Works for me,"

She ran and cartwheeled up onto the stage, and immediately launched into a full spinning hook kick. Lucus staggered into a pile of chairs. Buffy assumed a fighting position. Lucus got up and growled. He came at her and swung, but she ducked the punch and came up behind him. He tried a backhand punch, but she blocked him, held onto his arm and gave him three roundhouse kicks to his stomach before he shook loose. She took her stake and lunged at him. He blocked the lunge, knocking the stake from her grip. He lifted her up and threw her into a pile of boxes.

At the back of the Bronze. Giles, Spike, Willow and Xander had broken in.

"Hurry!" the watcher shouted

Xander ran in to see what was going on. He saw Buffy was down. She got up, so Xander turned his attention to the crowd.

"C'mon! Let's go! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" he whispered

Giles guided the people to the back door.

"(whispers) Hurry up! Come on! Through this door! Come on! This way!"

The main room. Buffy spun around and landed a backhand punch on Lucus' face, knocking him into another pile of stuff. He was dazed. She turned to see a vampire grab Xander. She grabbed a cymbal from a drum set and threw it at the vampire like a Frisbee. Xander saw it coming and ducked. The cymbal decapitated the vampire.

"Head's up!" he laughed

Buffy couldn't resist a chuckle. Lucus grabbed her from behind. Cordelia was on the floor with Mike above her. She struggled and he grabbed her arms.

"Hold still! You're not making this easy!"

Spike came up behind him, stake in his pocket.

"Mike, man!"

Mike turned to look up at Spike showing his game face. Spike was taken aback a bit. His friend had been turned and now he knew what he had to do.

"Buddy!" Mike greeted him

Buffy was being held tightly from behind by Lucus.

"I always wanted to kill a Slayer!" he growled into her ear.

At the back where Giles and Willow were still guiding people out.

"One at a time! Quickly! Quickly!"

He crossed to the other side of the room in front of some stairs. Jonus was standing on the steps above him.

"We're going to have to open the front as well!" Willow informed the watcher

Jonus lept onto him from behind, knocking him to the floor.

"Mike! I know there's still a part of you in there...please (takes the stake out of his pocket) Don't make me do it,"

Mike jumped up to face him.

"Okay... Let's deal with this. Mike was an excruciating loser who couldn't get a date with anyone in the sighted community! Look at me. I'm a new man!" he showed himself off.

Buffy and Lucus.

"Master! Taste of this... and be free!"

He roared and moved in to bite Buffy. She sensed his proximity and snapped her head back to land a headbutt on his face, knocking him off of her and back to the wall. She turned to him, winded.

"How'd it taste?"

Back to Giles and Jonus struggling on the floor. Willow approached them  
while taking out a jar of holy water.

"Get off of him!" she shouted

Jonus was distracted and looked up. Willow threw the holy water at him. It burnt her face and steamed. He got up and ran from the club, screaming. Mike grabbed Spike by the jacket and lifted him around against a wall. Spike had the stake pointed at Mike's chest.

"Ooo! Alright. Put me out of my misery. You don't have the guts, never have and never will and you know it, don't cha...William" he insulted his friend

A fleeing patron bumped into Mike, impaling him on the stake. Spike let go of the stake, and Mike began to fall. He turned to ashes before he even hit the floor. Two vampires grabbed Spike. Buffy grabbed a microphone stand and held it like a javelin.

"You forget, metal can't hurt me," he reminded the slayer.

"There's something you forgot about, too. Sunrise!"

She threw the stand at the window behind Lucus. He ducked, and it broke the window behind him. A bright light poured in through it. Buffy spied the stake she dropped on the stage and picked it up. He got up and shielded his face with his hands, expecting to be urned. He stopped when he realized it's only a bright lamp. Buffy lunged at him from behind and jammed the stake home.

"It's in about nine hours, moron!"

He began to stagger off of the stage. The master was testing the strength of his confines. Lucus continued to stagger, fell from the stage and burst into ash. The master felt Lucus' death and fell to his knees.

"Noooooooo! Noooooooo!" he screamed.

Sunnydale High the next morning. Everything appeared normal. Buffy walked along and overheard Cordelia talking to a friend.

"Well, I heard it was rival gangs. You know, fighting for turf? But all I can tell you is they were an ugly way of looking. And Buffy, like, knew them! Which is just too weird. I mean, I don't even remember that much, but I'm telling you, it was a freak show!"

"Oh, I wish I'd been there!" the girl replied

"You should have been there. It was so creepy...,"

She and her friend walkws off. Buffy met Xander.

"What exactly were you expecting?"

"I don't know, something. I mean, the dead rose. We should at least have an assembly" he was referring to Mike's death

They ran into Giles and Willow, and the four of them continued to walk. No Spike. The slayer was worried about him. Mike's death fell pretty hard on him. After the harvest was over he said nothing, to no one and just walked home.

"People have a tendency to rationalize what they can and forget what they can't," Giles explained.

"Believe me, I've seen it happen,"

"Well, I for one will never forget it, none of it," Willow stated

"Good! Next time you'll be prepared,"

The trio looked at the middle aged man, wide-eyed.

"Next time?" Buffy said

"Next time is why?" Xander squeaked out.

"We've prevented the Master from freeing himself and opening the Mouth of Hell. That's not to say he's going to stop trying. I'd say the fun is just beginning," he explained with a slight grin.

"More vampires?" the red-head piped out

They stopped walking.

"Not just vampires. The next threat we face may be something quite different,"

"I can hardly wait!" Buffy stated. Voice dripping with sarcasm.

"We're at the center of a mystical convergence here. We may, in fact, stand between the Earth and its total destruction,"

The three students continued to class. Giles stayed behind and watched them go. He heard them discussing, jokingly getting kicked out of school. He rolled his eyes. Giles turned to go back to his library.

"The Earth is doomed!"

The trio were just on their way inside when Buffy spotted Spike sitting at the fountain. She said her goodbyes and made her way over to him. Willow and Xander looked at her oddly. Spike was tossing coins into the water and then fishing them back out. She sat down next to him and bowed her head to look at her knees.

"I'm sorry about Mike...if there was something I could've done I would of done it..."

He turned to her, sad looking. The poor boy never saw any happiness these days.

"You couldn't of so don't blame yourself pet...(sighs) it's so weird him not being here..."

"I know," her voice was but a whisper

They sat in silence for a few minutes until the bell rang. Both of the teens stood up and faced each other. She pursed her lips.

"If you need anything at all you know where I am," she placed a hand on his arm and smiled.

He looked down at where her hand was, looked up at her and smiled. She smiled back and started to walk away. Spike shouted her.

"Buffy..."

She turned to face him.

"Yea?"

"I liked your costume,"

Buffy giggled a little bit, smiled and walked away. He stood there and watched her go. When she had gone he ran to class. He wondered what was happening to him, when and why he had begun to see Buffy in a different light.

What do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews so far and keep it up! I won't be able to update for a couple of days :(


	20. Hallow's eve

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 20: Hallow's eve

The next few days were morbid at the school. Everyone was still reeling after the death of Mike. The students held a memorial for him and lay flowers at one of the benches. It was now the end of the school week and Buffy had a free period. Giles always insisted that every time that she had a free period that she should come and train at the library, because no one really came there anyway. So there she was, training...more like reading. After the harvest Giles wanted to get all the information that they could on The Master. Past feeding patterns and most of all what he was planning on doing next, which would be harder than it seemed. Buffy let out a long, irritated sigh.

"I don't see the point in this, we're not getting anywhere and I could be getting my costume ready for tonight but nooooooooooo I'm stuck here researching," she groaned out.

The watcher looked up from his book and frowned at the blonde.

"Buffy, we must learn all we can about The Master, how else are you planning on defeating him?" Giles questioned

She visibly paused for a minute or two.

"Well, I was planning on planting a bag of blood and putting special vampire poison into it...Giles chill, I don't think his wrinkly ass will be planning ANYTHING just yet, now can I please go home?"

Buffy pouted and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Fine, fine..."

She smiled widely and hopped out of her chair. She waved goodbye to him and walked out.

Spike stood outside the bronze, smoking his cigarette. He was dressed in navy blue denim jeans, his doc martins, a black t-shirt and over that he had a biker waist coat. He threw the stub to the floor and crushed it under his boot. Tonight was the bronze's Halloween party and the costumes varied from Luke Skywalker to Jackie Chan. Classic Halloween songs were playing and Oz had told him that Dingoes ate my baby were playing tonight. He had his drink and was about to go sit down when Cordelia, in a stripper's outfit came up to him.

"Hey Spike," she piped, fluttering her lashes at him

He looked her up and down, letting his eyes roam over her. She was definitely good looking and had a good body but she just wasn't his type. In fact he didn't know what his type was any more. He was still getting over Drusilla and a pang of hurt struck him like a knife to the heart every time he saw her but that was gradually fading.

"Cordelia," he replied, cooly

It was her turn to look him up and down and boy did he look hot, not her type but still hot. The only reason she was doing this was because one; Buffy had just walked in with the freak squad and two; she had a sneaking suspicion that little, geeky Buffy had the hots for Spike. She furrowed her brow slightly at his costume and pointed a slender finger at him.

"What are you dressed as? Coz from where I'm standing I haven't got a clue,"

"I'm a demon hunter is what I am," he informed the brunette with a smile.

Cordelia started laughing the instant Buffy looked over to make it look like she was laughing at something he had said. The blonde gritted her teeth and sat down with a thump. Spike looked at Cordelia, perplexed. He raised a brow at her and she stopped laughing, slowly.

"So...you wanna dance?

"I'm not really one for dancing pet..." he said with a slight groan

Cordelia got even closer to him, pressing her body against his. He gulped and she smiled sweetly. She ran a finger down his chest and then looked him in the eye.

"One dance never killed anyone," she whispered

He huffed in defeat and let himself be led off by the brunette. As they walked off, Cordelia flashed an evil grin over to Buffy. The blonde scowled back at her. The pair began to dance. He just moved his feet on the spot, well that was what he called dancing, whilst Cordelia wiggled her hips and hands and grinded herself against his groin. Spike rolled his eyes as the dance went on and got more heated. He really didn't want to dance with her.

Sat at the table with her friends the slayer was watching them intently, still scowling. Staring. If looks could kill then her look would of done exactly that. They had been joined by Oz, who was dressed in his normal clothes, with a sticker on his shirt saying 'God'. Everyone greeted him as he took a seat next to Willow and Xander. Willow was dressed as a tree nymph and Xander was dressed as a rock star. Buffy had gone for a completely different idea. She was going to dress up as a rock star also but she quickly dismissed that. She decided to go with the sexy librarian look. Pencil skirt with matching jacket, white blouse and a pair patent leather heels. Her hair was swept back into a bun and she had her glasses on to complete the look. Buffy had also to put on some make-up. Brown/Beige eye-shadow, slight bit of blusher and red lip-gloss. She played with the straw in her drink, absent-mindedly as she watched on. Xander caught her looking miserably at the dance floor. He nudged her, causing her to rip her eyes away from the dancing couple.

"What's with the glum look Buff?"

"Yeah Buffy, you've been acting strange ever since we got here," Willow added

"Huh? Oh it's nothing (looks at her friends, looking unconvinced) really guys I'm good,"

She glanced back at Spike and Cordelia and sighed.

"Ok, if you say you're ok...," Xander said

Buffy still looked upset and the gang looked on at her, concerned.

The music had now stopped and Cordelia kissed Spike on the cheek and went off to her friends, leaving him standing in the middle of the dance floor. He stood there for a minute looking and feeling like a gooseberry but then made a hasty retreat to the bar. Buffy had already made the order for her friends and was waiting patiently as he came up beside her. He inhaled sharply as he took in the sight of her. He gulped hard and tried to tear his eyes away but found that he couldn't. _Oh come on man! Get a grip! _He thought. The barman took his order, Buffy started to look upset again as that cow and Spike dancing ran through her head. Spike cleared his throat and she looked at him, glumly. He was baffled by this but then for no reason her look changed. She was now smiling at him widely. Man did she have a beautiful smile. It was covering up how she was really feeling.

"I like your outfit," he said causally

"I'd say I like your but I don't know what you're meant to be," she replied

"Demon hunter,"

"Oh," she said, absent-mindedly

He felt like he was in a bit of a pickle. For some unknown reason an awkward silence had fell between them. Buffy bit her lip and looked pensive. She had been doing a lot of that recently.

"Is Cordelia the kind of girl you prefer?" she said suddenly

Spike looked at her and then let out a small laugh.

"No, she isn't my type love,"

He raised a brow at the blonde as if to hint at her but she seemed to take no notice. She had a kind of look that was between confused and happy spread across her face but then she furrowed her brows as she realised that ok, Cordelia wasn't his type but his type had to be popular and gorgeous and she was neither one.

"Is she not?...I mean I thought your type was popular, pretty and had to look good on the arm,"

He let out yet another laugh and shook his head at her.

"I don't really give a damn about looks, it's brains and personality that matter to me and if the girl I like just so happens to be blonde, pretty and have a smashin' personality, well lucky me...looks are just a bonus Buffy," he whispered the last bit and she looked even more confused now.

The barman came over with a tray of drinks for her and his glass of coke. They both payed him and he gave Buffy a sparkling smile, which caused Spike to feel a slight need to punch his lights out. She picked up the tray and he was about to say something but she stopped him.

"I can't, gotta get these back to the gang,"

Spike watched her walk back to her friends and he began to mutter something to himself.

"No I don't like her, I can't, she's a bloody geek!"

_but a hot geek_ he thought. He growled in annoyance. He had to stop thinking about her in that way.

A slim blonde walked into the bronze. She was wearing a black, long-sleeved dress, a pointy witches hat and had a pair of fish net tights on, accompanied by a pair of black boots. As soon as Spike spotted her he went straight over.

The blonde smiled widely at him and embraced him in a short hug.

"H-hey Will,"

Spike rolled his eyes at her.

"How many times, it's Spike now...anyways what you doing here, Glinda?" he raised a brow at her costume.

Tara looked herself up and down and smiled awkwardly.

"W-Well I heard at c-college that there was going to b-be a party, so I decided t-to come," she stuttered out

Cordelia waved at him and he rolled his eyes and reluctantly waved back.

"Is that your g-girlfriend?" she giggled out

Spike looked at her with horror printed across his face.

"I just danced with that chit once and now she thinks were like, inseparable,"

"Oh right...so w-were are your friends? And were is this slayer of d-dad's? Unless s-she isn't in this town,"

Great now she was going on about the slayer. That was all he needed when he was trying to forget about the chit. He spotted Oz over at the table with Willow and the rest of the gang, including Buffy. So he led Tara over to the table and was greeted by a lot of confused faces. Xander smirked at Spike and Spike put a finger up to him, which made his smirk disappear. Tara looked at Willow and smiled shyly.

"So Spike, who's ya date?" Xander inquired

Buffy now had gone back to her glum look that she had on before. _Ok this was the blonde he was going on about before, darn it _Buffy thought. Spike clenched his jaw.

"She's my sister, you nit!" he barked

All eyes grew wide in shock. All except Buffy's because she already knew that he had a sister, just didn't know what she looked like. Oz was the first to greet her. He stood up and shook her hand.

"I'm Oz, nice to meet you,"

"T-tara," she replied

She was greeted with a mixtures of nice to meet you and hello's. When Buffy greeted her Tara knew that something was up with her even though she hardly knew her. Also, she sensed power, so she guessed that she was the slayer. A bit small and fragile looking, yes but she was the slayer no mistake about that. The bleach blonde looked over at Buffy and smiled at her, she smiled back.

Throughout the night, Xander caught glimpses of Spike looking at Buffy. At first he couldn't figure out why he was staring at her. He even checked to see if she had anything on her like a bug or something, which caused him to be on the receiving end of frowns off the gang, including Spike. The dark haired boy smirked as he looked his enemy's costume over. Spike raised a brow at him.

"You got a problem, whelp?"

"Er no, just...look at your costume! I mean if you just want to be a wittle cowboy," he pointed at the costume

He scoffed and looked Xander up and down.

"Yeah well it's better than trying to be...O wait what ARE you dressed up as? (pauses) no wait don't tell me...a circus freak!"

"ROCKSTAR! I'm a rockstar!"

As the trivial argument continued, the gang looked on at them. No secret about it that these two hated each other and they probably will still be throwing insults at one another when they are dead. Oz looked at the two rowing teens and then whispered to Buffy.

"This isn't about the costumes, is it?"

The blonde shrugged at him and rolled her eyes. Now this was getting on her nerves. She slammed her glass down on the table. Everyone all around the table jumped and looked at her.

"Will you two just shut up! God you're acting like a pair of kids...(gets up) I'm going to the toilet,"

Buffy headed off to the bathroom, leaving everyone very confused. A few minutes after, Cordelia waved and winked at Spike. Xander caught on to this.

"Oh look, your stripper is signalling to you!" he piped out

Spike glared at him.

"Shut up,"

Then that was when she made her way over. Tara had left the table to go to the toilet also. Well that was what she told them. Really she was going to check on Buffy. She was stood there in front of the remaining of the gang. She was about to say something when Xander beat her to it.

"Gee, I thought the whole idea of fancy dress was to wear a costume and be somebody different?" his voice dripped with sarcasm

She scowled at him.

"Haha, very funny Harris, least I'm not a freak, which is more than I can say for any of you...well except Spike of course and Oz,"

Xander was in awe of her costume really, darn did she look good.

"Anyway, unless you've come over here for a reason why don't you take your skanky ass and go away...unless you're planning on stripping,"

"Ewww, mind in the gutter much, like I'd want to strip for YOU (turns to Spike) would you like to dance again?" she smiled at him

Spike looked at her. No, he wasn't going to dance with HER any more. It was like she was just using him to make someone jealous and he didn't like that.

"No can do,"

She groaned and threw her hands in the air, began to walk off and said on the way.

"Your loss,"

Oz and Willow had left the table. Spike and Xander glared at each other. Xander knew that captain peroxide had feelings for his friend and he didn't want Buffy to be used like that. Just as a rebound girl and once he got bored he would dump her and move on. No way was he going to let that happen.

"If you hurt her I'll kill you," he warned

The other teen looked up from his drink, puzzled.

"Hurt who?"

"Buffy, I know you like her, it wouldn't be more obvious if you had a big, red flashing sign on your head saying 'I think Buffy Summers is hot',"

Spike scoffed and shook his head. _Oh bloody hell, is it THAT obvious? _Spike thought.

"Yeah right," was all he could say.

In the girls restroom, Buffy came out of one of the stalls and looked herself in the mirror. She frowned at herself and washed her hands. For some reason she found herself crying a bit. She was crying because she knew that she had no chance in hell with a guy like Spike. The chain was pulled and she quickly hid the tears from the person that came out. It was Tara. She looked at the blonde. Mascara left a rail down her cheek.

"Um, B-buffy, are you ok?" she asked, concern laced through her soft voice.

Buffy looked up at Tara and smiled a bit.

"I'm fine," she muttered

"G-go talk to him,"

"Who?"

"Spike, h-he really Isn't that bad...and there is something about your aura that says you like he very m-much,"

Buffy looked at her in confusion. Great if his sister could suss her out then he would be able to. She shook her head at her.

"Ok, I Iike him but there is no way that he likes me back...the-the only reason he talks to me is because he has to, because of Giles," she explained

Buffy watched Tara shake her head in the negative.

"B-but he doesn't hate you...Buffy just go and talk to him, i-if anything to clear the air,"

The slayer sighed in defeat. She straightened herself out and turned back to the other blonde.

"Do I look like I've been crying? (she shakes her head) here goes nothing,"

When she got back to the table everyone had gone to the dance floor. She expected to see him dancing with that slut again but he wasn't. He was standing alone, at the bar. Buffy took a deep breath in and walked up behind him and poked his shoulder.

"Hey sod off poking me will you-"

He turned around to be faced with Buffy, just looking at him.

"If that's what you want then I'll go..."

She made a turn to leave but his hand on her arm stopped her.

"No, don't go, I thought you were someone else is all...look you don't have to but do you want to dance? I mean as friends, nothing more,"

Buffy's face fell when he said as friends. She knew he was too good for her. She forced a big, fake smile on her lips.

"Sure, why not,"

So they went to the dance floor and danced to three or four songs. Buffy wriggled her hips and waved her hands above her head for one of the faster songs that she loved and he stood watching her. _Hips of Buffy, lips of Buffy... I wonder what she would look like in a bikini, argh stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_ he thought as they danced. The last song was a slow one so they danced up real close. Her cheek resting on his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heart. Spike held her hand with one of his and let his other hand rest on the small of her back. He basked in the vanilla/cherry scent of her and felt himself and his feeling for her falling off the edge of this cliff that was their friendship. The song ended and they slowly pulled away. Spike ran his fingers up her back, to her shoulder and down her arm. This caused her to shudder and her skin to hum. Spike smiled at her and she smiled back.

"Buffy!" Willow shouted

Buffy sighed and looked over her shoulder to look at her friend. She turned back to him and rolled her eyes.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow..." she said, disappointed that she had to go to her friends.

"Yeah..." he said, softly

"Right, er see you then, then,"

"Yeah..."

Spike watched her go to her friends and sighed at himself.

What do you think guys? Sorry it took me so long to update i had writers block. Thanks for the reviews so far, keep it up!!!!


	21. Happy birthday

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 21: Happy birthday

The weather had begun to turn cold as the winter set in and Buffy's birthday was coming up. Joyce had already arranged a party for her for Wednesday, of which she had no idea of. It was Monday. The blonde had busied herself all weekend to try and forget about the tall, bleach blonde and handsome guy that she had feelings for, but she still ended up coming to the same conclusion; there was no getting away from the fact that she had designs on Spike. No suree. Before she even got into school, Buffy was took to one corner by none other than the queen of hookers herself, Cordelia. The brunette smiled wickedly and the blonde rolled her eyes, causing the other teen to snort at her.

"Don't roll your eyes at me...now what makes you think that a blonde haired, skanky looking freak like you stands a chance with someone as gorgeous and athletic as Spike? Coz I'm dying to know," she cackled the last bit.

Buffy bit her lip and looked to the ground. When Buffy didn't reply, Cordelia started to speak again.

"Do you think I'm THAT stupid not to notice the way you look at him? (Buffy looks mortified) you may have super strength but I'll be damned if I let you get your grimy little hands on him...PERIOD, I will fight you tooth and nail for him, he wouldn't look at you twice, let alone once! and just so you know...I always get what I want,"

The slayer was fuming but worried. She knew Cordelia was right, there was no chance he would ever be with her. Not in a million years. She was that furious that was going to retort. Cordelia had better watch her space.

"I may be a freak but at least I don't look halve as skanky as you,"

The blonde scowled at her and she had a look of disbelief across her face.

Dinnertime had come and Spike was sitting around one of the tables with his friends, Oz and Devon. Devon grinned at him and winked.

"Hey nice catch at the bronze the other night...Cordelia Chase, what a hottie! How I would love to get in the sheets with her!" he exclaimed.

Both of the teens stared at him.

"What?"

"While Cordelia is a hottie, she isn't the one I like,"

"Please tell me you're not still hooked on Drusilla...Spike?" Oz questioned his best friend and noticed he was staring off into the distance.

He was watching Buffy. He smiled slightly as she laughed at something Xander had said.

"Spike!"

He snapped his head towards them and frowned.

"What?" he barked

Devon held his hands up at his biting tone.

"Whoa dude, he was only asking...so, do you or do you not still have feelings for and want Dru?"

Spike sighed. He ran his hand through his hair.

"If I was to say I didn't love her any more then I would be lying, I still have feelings for the chit but it's not her...now if you two don't bloody mind I would like to finish my lunch (waves his apple at them and takes a bite) without the interrogation,"

Across the dining room were the scooby gang. Xander had just cracked a joke about the way Cordelia was dressed because he noticed that the slayer wasn't her normal self, yet again. Buffy couldn't help it. An uncontrollable giggle came from her, which caused Willow and Xander to laugh along with her. The cordettes entered and they all scowled at Buffy. The smile was wiped straight off her face as Cordelia herself breezed past them. Her friends didn't find it unusual that she was being a cow but the way the brunette looked at the slayer was more than pure hatred in her eyes.

"What's her problem?" Xander exasperated

Willow shrugged and Buffy sighed, miserably. The red head looked at her friend.

"Buffy, don't let her get to you...she's not worth it,"

The Boy nodded his head in agreement.

"Yeah Buff, she ain't even worth a piece of chewing gum that got stuck on my shoe,"

She was still miserable. Buffy had enough of all this bitching from Cordelia, her going on how she wasn't good enough for Spike. She wasn't stupid, she knew that he would never see her in that way. Also her friends bitching about Cordelia was getting her down. Yeah ok, she did deserve it but there was more important things in life that feuds, like slaying! She fiddled with her ice cream and remained quiet. Xander huffed and sat closer to Buffy. He began to pull funny faces at her in an effort to cheer her up, but it only served to annoy her. She frowned and shoved him lightly on his shoulder.

"Stop it Xander, I'm not in the mood,"

"Well you don't say," now his voice was dripping with sarcasm.

The blonde took her tray and stood up.

"Look, I'll see you guys in class I just need some air,"

"Buffy-" Willow tried to call after her but she had already walked off.

Spike watched from a distance.

She was sat alone at the fountain and just watched all the people go by. Buffy was glad to be out of that cafeteria. Away from Cordelia and god even away from her friends, just for a short while. She opened her bag and took out her sketchbook and a pencil and began to draw. He stood a few metres away from her at first and studied her. Although it was crisp and cold the sun still shone on her and made it look as if she was made out of sunshine. _What the hell is going on with you? You're turning into a soddin' poof! Let's try this again, this is Buffy Summers, the thorn in your side...but I can't seem to take my mind off her _he thought. He saw Buffy take out her pad and begin to draw so he made his way over, quickly and quietly and stood behind her. Spike squinted his eyes to try and make out what she was drawing. In the end he just gave up that idea and went for asking her out straight.

"That's a nice (squints again) tree you got there,"

Buffy swiftly turned to the husky, British voice and quickly stuffed her pad back into her bag. He sat next to her hastily to try and stop her from putting it back in.

"No, don't put it away! I wasn't making fun...honest,"

She rolled her hazel eyes at him.

"Yea and I'm Sharon Osborne, look If you've come here to poke fun then get it over and done with,"

He frowned at her in disbelief. Why would he make fun of her?

"Why would I do that, love?" he questioned her with a raised brow.

"I dunno (shrugs) just seems that a lot of people are doing that recently, Cordelia, Harmony...Drusilla even said something the other day, about me being all shallow and I just thought you'd be jumpin' at the chance to make my life even worse," she said in a matter of factly way.

He cringed at hearing his ex's name and tutted slightly and shook his head at her.

"I'm through with all that, besides I think if we were at each other's throats it might drive my dad potty,"

She smiled slightly. Spike smiled along with her. Her friends tried to put a smile on her face and it only served to annoy her but Spike makes one silly comment about his dad and it made her smile. Everything about this guy made her smile. Except for the fact he can be highly annoying and pigheaded and he wasn't scared to tell you if he thought you were in the wrong. _That's not so bad, is it? _She thought. The bell went for lesson and they both stood up and made their way to English.

The day before the party.

Giles had stayed behind after school to find out as much as he could about The Master and so far he had found out stuff that they already knew. He was as one of the oldest vampires alive, trapped in the hell mouth by an earthquake, possessed the power of hypnosis etc, etc, etc. He was expecting his son to arrive any time soon and sure enough he was right. Unusual for him though he arrived five minutes after the end of his last period. Normally Spike would roll in fifteen to twenty minutes after. Something was definitely up. He strode over to Giles and gave him a look that said 'I want something'. The older man sighed and looked at him.

"What do you want this time?"

"I need to lend your credit card, stop my pocket money until I've paid it back," Spike said, hope in his voice.

Giles furrowed his brows and eyed him with suspicion.

"What is it for?"

He wasn't even sure whether this was going to be a good idea. Spike stuffed his hands into his jeans and told his dad what he wanted the money for. Giles explained that he didn't need to go and get anything but the bleached teen was having none of it. He wanted the card and he was going to get it. In the end, Giles gave in to Spike and handed over the card.

The Jeep pulled up on the driveway of the Summers household. As Joyce and Anne stepped out of the car the pair were laughing. She locked up the car and the other woman went to go to her house but turned back round to face Joyce.

"Why don't you come in for a cup of tea and a chat? I'm sure the girls won't mind," she offered

"As much as I'd love to I can't, It's Buffy's birthday tomorrow and I'm planning a party for her (pauses) hey why don't you and your girl, Tara is it? Come over tomorrow, I know the girls would love to meet you...what do you say?"

She took a minute to process this and smiled at the other woman.

"Sounds like a great idea, what time would you like us to come round?"

"Round 6 ish, that's when her friends will be coming, oh and Rupert and his boy,"

Anne cringed inside when she heard that her ex and her son will also be there, but instead of showing it she kept the smile on her face, said her goodbyes and headed into her house. Boy this party was going to be interesting.

He had been wondering around the mall for two hours straight now and he hadn't found anything suitable. Make-up, she wasn't a make-up girl. Earrings, no. He even considered a cd but he had no idea what music she liked. Spike was just about to give up when he walked past a jewellery store. Back tracking he took a look at an item in the window and a smile spread across his lips.

Buffy's birthday party.

Her day at school hadn't been great. Buffy had the cordettes making sly digs at her, a load of school work to do, not to mention Giles going through the new training scheme he had set up for her. To make her birthday even worse Willow and Xander were acting weird around her all day. When she got home she was pleasantly surprised. Purple and pink banners up on the door and windows saying 'Happy birthday!' these were accompanied by a various amount of balloons. The petite blonde bounced into the house to see even more party decorations were up. Buffy went to walk into the living room but saw Dawn in the dining room, painting something. She carefully sneaked in and the littlest Summers jumped out of her skin when she saw the blonde in the doorway. Dawn tried to cover up the banner without getting paint all over herself. Buffy chuckled as she walked over to her. Dawn gave up and crossed her arms but then soon unfolded them and engulfed her big sister in a hug.

"Happy birthday Buffy!" she squealed

Buffy giggled and took a look at the banner. It had 'Happy 17th birthday, Buffy!' in big rainbow coloured letters and glitter on the corners.

"Did you do that by yourself?"

"You betcha...well okay I tell a lie, mom helped me, but it was only a little bit," she explained, feeling really stupid.

At that point Joyce walked into the room and greeted the birthday girl with a kiss and cuddle. She ushered Dawn off to get ready and smiled at her daughter. This was going to kill her daughter, break her in two. She sighed and Buffy looked her in the eye, with suspicion.

"What is it?" she said worriedly

"Your father called this afternoon, said he can't make it for Sunday (looks at Buffy, who looked upset but wasn't showing it) oh hon I'm sorry,"

The slayer sniffed back the tears. It was nothing new, her dad always did this but what made this year so different was the fact that he promised he was going to take her ice skating, _guess that won't happen now _she thought.

"He has sent the tickets for the ice skating though so maybe you could take Willow or Xander?" she suggested

"Yeah, maybe..."

"Come on birthday girl! You can't be glum...why don't you go get in the bath or if you don't want to do that just go get ready for your friends they will be here soon, I invited Anne from work, is that ok with you?"

She smiled at her mother, pecked her on the cheek and bounced up the stairs.

6 O'clock had come and the guests started to arrive. First was Willow and Xander. They each said happy birthday and gave Buffy her presents and told her how great she looked. She had told them that she wasn't going to open any presents until everyone had got there. Buffy was wearing a black sequin skirt that came to just above her knee. This was accompanied by a black sleeveless tiered top, a red beaded long necklace, a pair of black spiral tights and a pair of dark red ankle boots. Her blonde hair was left down but a bit was clipped back. Xander found himself babbling at the sight of his friend. Giles and Spike got out of the car. Spike wasn't wearing his usual black clothes. He had a dark purple shirt on, a gold chain round his neck, lying softly on his collar bone and a pair of dark blue jeans. The only thing that wasn't different about his attire was his patent doc martins. In his hand was a badly wrapped present, sparkly silver paper, the shape of a rectangle. Giles had a red present bag in his hand. He knocked on the door and both of them were shocked when the birthday girl herself opened the door. She greeted them with a wide smile. Spike just stood there, staring at her. _Oh my god, she looks fucking stunning! Who knew there was a little devil hidden in there _Spike thought. He found his eyes roaming her, hungrily. Giles kissed her on the cheek and gave her a brief cuddle before handing her the bag and saying "Happy birthday," He went off into the living room, where everyone else was while Buffy and Spike stood at the door way, door closed. He gave her a gentle peck on the cheek and a sudden feeling of embarrassment swept over him as he handed her the present. Buffy was stunned as she received the present but then smiled at him.

"You look great pet,"

She bowed her head as she felt shy under his gaze.

"Thank you...I think-"

She was cut off mid sentence by another knock at the door. Buffy rolled her eyes and opened the door, only to be greeted by Tara and Anne. Spike's face turned from an embarrassed look to a pissed off look.

"Great," he muttered under his breath

"Happy birthday darling! (hugs her) oh how rude of me I'm Anne, work collegue of your mom, mother of this very handsome looking boy, this is my daughter Tara,we are very sorry we didn't have much time to get you anything so I hope this is ok for you," she piped as she handed Buffy a book.

It had on the front of it in gold leaf letters 'Book of poetry," She smiled at them and thanked them. Tara hugged her and the other two walked into the room where Giles' voice was heard near enough shouting, causing Buffy, Tara and Spike to cringe. A few minutes after the argument between him and Anne had gone on, Joyce stood up and told them to stop, that this was her daughter's party and she wanted everyone to get on and just be civil for Buffy's sake and that is what they did.

She had a lot of presents. Xander had got her a set of Winnie the pooh teddies, okay it wasn't the best thing to get your best friend on her 17th birthday but he knew that Buffy had this love for the children's character. Willow had got her a pair of purple tear drop earrings. Joyce had got her a blue v-neck top, a pair of jeans and she had added the tickets that her dad had sent her for the ice skating. Now on to Giles, he knew that she had a passion for drawing so he had got her a new sketchpad and a set of water colours. Dawn had hand made a picture frame, which she had stuck shells around from when they visited their dad for a bout a week in the summer. The frame had a picture of them on the beach in it. Finally, it was Spike's turn. She lifted the parcel off the table and began to unravel it to reveal a black box, with silver patterns all over the front. Buffy looked at it quizzically and opened it to see a white gold cubic zirconia cross carefully placed on a soft, purple silk inside. Buffy felt tears prick in her eyes as she took it out the box, letting it dangle in front of her and ran her fingers over the cross. Spike and the rest of her friends and family watched her in fascination and she placed it back in it's box.

"Thank you, everyone for all of these presents, really,"

Party food had been eaten as was birthday cake. A fair few party games were also played, one of these was twister. That game had ended with Buffy, spike and Xander lying in a big heap on the floor, giggling. After all of that Tara and Willow had begun to chat. Tara thought the red head was so gorgeous and felt herself slipping under her spell with every word, but she knew that she had a boyfriend. The slayer had excused herself from the party, took box with the cross in with her and sat on the decking in the back garden. She found herself opening it and closing it, running her fingers over it. The cross was so beautiful and she thought it must of cost him a fortune. Buffy began to cry when she let her mind drift back to her dad. How could he not make it? Why did he do this to her every year? Spike had realised that Buffy had been gone longer than she said she would be gone and made his excuses. But when he entered the kitchen she was no where to be seen. He peeped through the back door window to see her sitting on the decking. Slowly and quietly he opened the door and sat next to her. Luckily, she had sniffed back the tears and wiped her face before he noticed.

"It's beautiful Spike...thank you," she said sincerely as she looked at the cross once more.

He smiled. Spike was glad that she liked it. He pursed his lips and looked at her.

"No need to thank me pet, I figured you'd need one, you know since vampires can't touch the soddin' things...here let me put it on for you,"

Buffy handed him the box so that he could take it out. She turned her back to him as he unclasped it, and placed the necklace around her neck and then fastening it again, letting his fingers brush against her bare neck. This caused her to shiver a bit.

"There,"

A tiny sob came from her and before she knew it she couldn't could the tears from coming. Spike furrowed his brows in confusion. He thought she liked it? So why was she crying?

"What's the matter? is it something I did? Something I said?" he asked her confusion and concern clearly evident in his voice.

Buffy had turned so she was looking straight ahead to the back of the garden. She shook her head in the negative.

"Then what is it?"

"Am I that bad that my own dad doesn't want to know? I must be just have to look at me to know I'm a complete disappointment," she said, sobbing as she went along.

Spike didn't like this one bit. Seeing her like this hurt him so much and it made him so angry with her dad. He had gotten up and knelt in front of her. Buffy tried to turn her head away from him but he cupped her cheek and stroked it softly. Spike wiped away the tears and looked her straight in the eye.

"You listen to me Buffy, you are not a waste of space or disappointment, the only one that is, is your dad, he doesn't know how bloody lucky he is to have a daughter like you...you have such kindness in you that it would knock anyone for six,"

He spoke with such a soft tone that it caused her to break down in tears. Instantly, Spike wrapped his arms about her and cuddled her. He rubbed her arms and back and ran his hand through her hair until she eventually had stopped crying. She looked up at him and his was staring at her, smiling and he continued to wipe the tears away and tried to fix some of the mascara damage on her face. He was going to kiss her on the lips but opted for kissing her on the forehead instead. _Why does she beat herself up so much? _He thought. _Why is he being like this with me? First the cross and now this? Is it me or does he like me?...no remember what Cordelia said he would never want anyone like me, _she thought. Spike rubbed her arm again and she was freezing. He stood up and helped her up off the step.

"It's getting cold...don't want you to catch your death now do we?"

She smiled at him and entered the kitchen to see her mother had just finished on the phone.

"That was your aunt Sal on the phone, Faith is coming to stay with us,"

what do you think guys? Sorry it took me ages to update but here it is! what was your favourite bit? Thanks for the reviews so far, keep it up guys! good reviews help me to write better :)


	22. Faith

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 22: Faith, hope and tricks

She couldn't believe it. Her cousin Faith was coming to live with them. She had shoulder length,brown hair, brown eyes and dressed like a punk/rockstar, kind of like a female version of Spike. Not that she had anything against her just that she was trouble and that was the last thing she needed right now. With all the slaying, the master and now the very confusing situation with Spike. Buffy had climbed through the window and as she got through, Faith burst in, causing the blonde to jump.

"Jesus Faith! You know it's polite to knock before you enter someone's room,"

The brunette just looked at Buffy, then the open window and then smirked at the slayer.

"B, take a chill pill...anyways since when do you climb outta windows? I had you down as the little miss goodie two shoes type," Faith said as she popped her gum

Buffy looked at the open window, wide eyed. Now she panicked. What the hell was she going to tell her? Oh I lost my hat? If she wasn't careful she could get herself stuck in a big hole. She turned back to her.

"I wasn't climbing out of the window...,"

Faith snorted and sat cross legged on the bed, taking Mr Gordo into her hands. She began to play with his ears.

"I couldn't give two stuffs what ya were doin'...but if its anything good then you would tell me," she hinted

Buffy groaned and rolled her eyes.

"It wasn't anything good...so, how long you here for?" the blonde asked

She was scared that Faith was Spike's type, but she was far from wrong.

"Til I graduate and then it's the high road for me baby!" she exclaimed

Buffy's face fell. This was definitely going to be a problem.

School the next day. Synder spoke with Mrs Summers and went through Faith's very colourful record, arson of a previous school was on the list, which he did not like one bit. He explained that she had three chances, if she messed up three times then she would be out. Synder also warned Faith that he would be watching her every move. After the meeting, Joyce took Faith to the library. The teen walked into the room with attitude. No one was there. She nosed at the books on the front desk. A voice caused her to look up, seeing Giles and Buffy walking out of his office, arguing. The blonde froze as the watcher went over to the brunette.

"What can I do for you?" he enquired

"Aunt Joyce told me B would be here and look there she is,"

Giles turned to Buffy with a quizzical frown etched upon his face.

"You didn't tell me you had a cousin,"

"I don't have to tell you everything about my life Giles...now if you don't mind we're going to be late for next lesson, Faith let's go,"

The blonde headed for the door and Faith shrugged at him.

"Catch ya later G-man!"

He frowned once again at the nickname that Buffy's cousin had given him.

Time for English. The students were entering the classroom as the girls approached. Cordelia gave Buffy a dirty look and Faith turned to her cousin.

"What the hell is her problem?"

The slayer shushed her as they entered the room. Instantly her brown eyes were on him. Mrs Henson looked at her and smiled. She looked at a piece of paper and then back at Faith.

"Miss Davenport, welcome to my class...since there is no one for me to pair you up with I'm afraid I will have to sit you with Miss Summers and Mr Giles (Spike looks up) Buffy why don't you show Faith to your seats,"

Buffy nodded and made her way over to her seat. Everyone was muttering, especially Cordelia and Harmony, who were giggling and pointing.

"Hello salty goodness," Faith muttered to herself as she took her seat next to Spike, forcing Buffy to sit the other side of her.

"Faith, Buffy's cousin"

She held her hand out and shook his.

"Spike...(cranes his neck to see Buffy) please tell me you did the soddin' homework coz I didn't," he admitted

She saw this as an opportunity to wind him up. After all she had been nice to him recently. Sighing, she looked him in the eye.

"No, I was too busy slaying vampires," she lied

His face was priceless. One of pure shock and mortification. Faith noticed automatically that Buffy liked him, but she wasn't sure if he reciprocated those feeling. She couldn't help it. Buffy broke into a grin.

"I'm only joking, I did the homework, don't worry,"

He cocked an eyebrow at her and rolled his eyes.

"You are goin' to be the undoing of me Summers,"

Okay, what the hell? Undoing of him? What does he mean?

"So you ain't been un done already?" Faith asked, wiggling her brows at him.

Buffy hit her on the arm and he just wiggled his brows back.

"Wouldn't you love to know...pet,"

Buffy groaned once more and turned her attention to the teacher. Throughout the lesson Faith and Spike chatted amicably, Faith flirting with the bleach blonde. He occasionally looked over to the blonde and saw that she was less than pleased. _What is wrong with her? _He thought.

It was now lunchtime. Buffy had introduced Faith to all her friends and Spike introduced Faith to all his, warning her about Angel and what he had done to him. By the end of this she felt like going and teaching him a lesson but he explained that he had already done that. Buffy eventually left the cafeteria to go to the library, shortly followed by Spike. She was at the other end of the corridor, opposite the library. For some reason she sensed someone was following her so she sped up a bit. Spike sighed and ran after her.

"Buffy!" he shouted as he ran.

Buffy stopped abruptly and waited for him to come to her. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why aren't you with your new best friend?" she spat

They walked on, at a slow pace. His brow furrowed at her comment. Spike stopped right in front of her. She rolled her eyes at him and looked at his hand gently on her arm.

"What do you mean?"

"Faith, you two seem to be hitting it off really good...I know she's my cousin but she is no good, do you know in the past two years she has had ten boyfriends...(looks down at the floor) I just don't want to see you get hurt again,"

Spike cackled a bit.

"Firstly, she isn't my type and secondly and believe me when I say I will make sure I don't get hurt like that again...anyway there is someone else, well sort of," he said casually

They continued towards the library. Buffy was so disappointed. She knew he was with Cordelia all along and this broke her more than anything. Buffy cleared her throat.

"Oh, who is she?"

"Ah now that would be telling! (he taps his finger on her nose causing her to wrinkle it up) she doesn't even know so it's not like I'm gonna go bloody well blabbing to you,"

So what do you think? Sorry this chapter is so short and not much happens but next chapter will be better! It may be a while before i can update again because i have a busy week ahead but don't worry i will work on it when i can. In the next chapter or the chapter after there will be some serious spuffy going on! Thanks for all the reviews so far and keep it up!


	23. Spelling bee

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 23: Spelling bee

As the days dragged on, the slayer had become even more confused about her feelings for Spike and the situation. What was even worse was the fact that she didn't know what to do. Instead of taking him to one corner or even when they were helping his dad out in the library and they were alone and talking it out with him she just squashed her feelings back down inside of her, but it wasn't working. They were at the bronze and this time it was Harmony dancing with Spike. Buffy watched on miserably as they did so. She was sat on her own, watching them, jealously threatening to spill over and turn her green. Willow had gone off with Oz and Xander, well Xander was doing what he always did, trying to get a girl to go out with him. The song had finished. Oz left the club, kissing Willow on the lips before he did so. Xander had now joined her. Willow shortly followed on swaying happily. They all watched Faith dancing with a group of three guys. Buffy and Willow both rolled their eyes but Xander was drooling in his drink, causing Willow to gasp.

"Uh Xander...you got a little drool," the slayer pointed out

He came out of his daze and wiped his mouth on a napkin.

"Man, that girl can dance, I mean just look at her, all sexy, dark and rogue like,"

That was it. He was now off in a world of his own, again. Luckily for the girls the bleach blonde had finished dancing with Harmony. She looked extremely disappointed. He sat down next to Buffy in a devil may care fashion, took a cigarette out and lit it.

"Evenin' all," he greeted

"Hi," Willow chirped

"Hey," Buffy greeted

Xander just scowled at him. Spike shrugged.

"Fair enough...I see Faith is getting friendly with the locals,"

"Yeah, and? What business is it of yours?" Xander spat out

The other teen chuckled at him.

"Ooh, a little jealous are we whelp?"

"Am not jealous!"

He didn't convince them. Willow giggled and Buffy smiled at his obvious attraction to her cousin but all that changed as soon as one Miss Chase waltzed in. His eyes were now on her. She was wearing a short, leather skirt, black tight, red, strappy heels and a red, glittery halter neck top. Xander scoffed.

"She couldn't dress any more slutty even if she tried,"

Willow looked at him, raised brows. Spike was looking at Buffy and then started to sip his drink. A few minutes of silence passed until Spike finally spoke.

"Wonder if Glinda is okay,"

Everyone turned to him, looking baffled.

"Who's Glinda? I thought she was that witch off Wizard of Oz" Buffy questioned

"Tara, my sister,"

Now this was weird. He called his sister Glinda? Why give her a nickname like that? Why not call her T?

"Why do you call her Glinda?" the red head questioned him further

"She does magiks is why I call her that,"

Magiks? Now that was something Willow was interested in.

She felt nervous. Last night she spoke to Spike for a good hour about Tara. In the end he gave her the address and told her to go there straight after school so that his mum wasn't there. There she was at the front door and for a moment she considered backing out but didn't. Taking a deep breath in she knocked on the door. The door slowly opened to reveal Tara. She looked quizzically at the red head.

"Um, i-if you're looking for S-spike, he isn't here,"

"Oh, no I'm not looking for him...actually I came here because I am interested in starting some witchcraft and Spike told me you were the gal to come to," she explained.

Tara looked less confused and smiled sweetly. She stepped out of the way and led her in.

"No, You don't have to explain, I don't mind. Really,C-come in,"

Willow took in her surroundings and followed Tara into the kitchen.

"W-would you like a drink, Willow? I-it is Willow, right?"

She nodded in response.

"Uh, just some water please,"

"Ok, y-you can go up to my room, first on the left,"

So that was what she did.

Tara's room. Willow & Tara were preparing for a spell. A square of twine with the points held down by four different coloured crystals. Willow and Tara were sitting either side of it. "So the square is Sunnydale?" Willow asked "Right it's like a map. We both take different parts of the potion and when we do the incantation we both blow it onto the square at the exact same time," the witch explained The red head nodded but then knitted her brows into a slight frown. 

"But how does it work?" Tara grinned a little as she began to explain the spell in a bit more detail. "Well that's the cool part. When the potion mixes and Thespia is called it creates this mist over the parts where the demons are. I-It even makes different colours for different breeds,"

"Wow,"

"O-ok, this is what you have to say (hands her a piece of paper) You ready? Let's do it," Willow nodded. Tara poured some green powder into Willow's hand from a grey stone bowl or mortar, then some white powder into her own hand from a green mortar. Willow looked at the paper. Tara closed her eyes.  
"Thespia, we walk in shadow, walk in blindness. You are the protector of the night," the blonde chanted

"Thespia, goddess, ruler of all darkness, we implore you, open a window to the world of the underbeing," the red head chanted

They both blow the powder into the square.

"With your knowledge may we go in safety. With your grace may we speak of your benevolence,"

The square had now turned into a map. Purple dots, blue dots, green dots, near enough every single colour in the rainbow. They both opened their eyes and gasped as they saw the different lights. Willow was in complete awe. "Wow, just look at this...(points to the right hand corner) look there is a big group of demons, my guess is vampires...oooh wait! Isn't that the Sunnyrest cemetery?" Tara took a look and nodded. All the lights were twinkling, they even moved when a demon moved, which Willow thought was cool. Within a few minutes the map had disappeared.

The next day Buffy and Faith walked into the school yard and instantly, the brunette's attention was on him. She smiled and made her way over to him, leaving Buffy following her very slowly. Faith ran up to Spike and smacked him on the bottom. He jumped and saw the vixen that did it. He rolled his beautiful eyes.

"Do you go around doin' that to every guy you see?"

"Oh yeah, every guy that has a tight ass like you baby,"

The slayer was visibly upset by this exchange. Spike was now laughing at something Faith had said. Buffy chewed her lip as she watched on. Tears threatening to spill onto her cheeks. The brunette whispered something into his ear. That was it. She'd had about as much as she could take. First Cordelia and now Faith. Buffy ran into school. Spike looked at Faith. She was ok he guessed but no where near to what the girl of his dreams was like. _Ok, where IS Buffy?_ He thought. He looked around a little and then turned back to her.

"So, where is that cousin of yours?"

Faith whirled round to see that the blonde had disappeared. She frowned and pointed to where she just was.

"She was there a minute a go,"

There were in I.T lesson with Ms Calender. Buffy couldn't take her mind away from what she at witnessed this morning. So they didn't kiss or anything but they certainly looked like they were getting very pally. What was wrong with her? Since when did she pine over Spike?!?! Spike of all people? She had to admit to herself that he was gorgeous and had a certain something about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She looked at the blank word document on her screen, little line flashing, ready for her to start typing. Buffy huffed and turned to her best friend. She had to do something about this.

"...Willow?"

"Yeah?" she piped

The blonde fiddled with her pencil as she figured out what she was going to say.

"Uh...I have a problem,"

Willow looked at her friend, concern etched on her face.

"What kind of a problem?" she questioned.

Buffy let out another sigh and pulled her chair closer to Willow.

"I'm kinda having some difficulty in making a decision...god this is stupid!" she exasperated

The red head eyed the blonde and then narrowed her eyes on her.

"Is this about the guy you like?"

She nodded.

"Yuh-huh...I mean I like him but I'm not sure if he likes me back and I guess I just want to see it from a different angle, ya know?" Willow's eyes twinkled as she had a brain wave.

"Well, I mean this is if you want to, maybe we should do a spell with Tara? I'm sure she would have something that could help,"

"A spell?" Buffy said slowly And again the red head nodded.

Later that night, Buffy, Willow and Tara were in Tara's room. No light on, except for a little bedside lamp. She had made a circle with red powder and in the middle of this circle was a crow's feather and a white crystal. Around this circle were two pink candles and one black one. Buffy had the black candle and the others had a pink one each. Buffy looked bewildered as she looked at this circle.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" she sounded unsure

"Y-yes...well I haven't done this spell before but I-I have done plenty of others," Tara explained.

This left the slayer worried even more now and she was right to be worried. Willow noticed this and smiled at her friend.

"Buffy, don't worry Tara knows what she is doing,"

The witch offered a smile of encouragement to the blonde as she sprinkled some nutmeg into the circle. She told Buffy to cut off a little bit of her hair and she placed it into the circle. They all lit their matches at the same time and lit the candles. The girls were all in a meditating position.

"Just r-relax and close your eyes," she instructed and they did so.

Tara started the chant. "

Here my prayer, answer our call, light of the dark, dark of the light...Vachel we invoke thee," The flames on the candles began to flicker.

"Knowledge we seek, perspective we need...Vachel we command thee,"

The crystal began to glow turquoise and the flames flickered even more. Buffy and Willow shivered.

"Light of the dark, dark of the light, perspective we need...Vachel we invoke thee!" she ended the chant The flames flickered out and the lamp had suddenly gone off on it's own. The slayer looked around, puzzled.

"Did it work?"

A sunny day at Sunnydale high and all of a sudden a portal opened up at the front of the school, throwing out of it was Buffy, Spike and Dawn. The instant Spike was thrown out he started running around, screaming and flapping.

"Oh bloody hell! Oh god! Oh god!!!...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Dawn just looked at him like he was demented but hang on a minute, he isn't going on fire!?! Buffy rolled her eyes and realised what was going on. Spike was a vampire so wasn't he meant to go poof at the touch of sunlight?

"Bloody hell!!! please someone help me!"

People started staring at him.

"Well, I retract that comment about him being cool,"

Dawn commented The slayer went over to him and punched him in the nose. His hands instantly went to his nose.

"Oh ow!"

"Would you stop acting like that?!? now in case you haven't noticed YOU are not setting on fire so if you would kindly stop so we can figure out where we are,"

His eyes widened in awe as he stopped and realised that she was right. No fire. No dusty. He raised his hand to the sun and relished in the warm feeling setting into his skin. Dawn looked at the front of the building. Sunnydale high.

"I thought you said Sunnydale high was burnt down?"

Buffy turned her head towards the building. As she did this she saw a familiar bleach blonde coming from the left side of the building. He was dressed in black jeans, a black t shirt with a skull and cross bone on. He had a short, leather jacket on and a silver chain was around his neck. A steely look of determination came across her face as she took her stake out of her pocket and charged towards him.

So what do you think guys? Sorry took me so long to update i hope you like it! Thanks for the reviews so far, keep it up!


	24. Seeing double

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 24: Seeing double.

Her speed was incredible as she charged up to him. All Spike saw was a flash of denim and a some form of wooden object as he was knocked to the floor. As she was about to stake him he caught her wrist and pushed her off him. He pulled himself up, looking very cross.

"What in the bleedin' hell are you doing? Have you gone completely carrot top!" he spat

Buffy folded her arms in defence, stake still in hand.

"I'm doing what I should of done all those years ago...I'm staking you," she stated

Spike raised his brow at her as if she was going crazy. Something was definitely different about her. Different clothes, definitely a different attitude and to top it all off she carried herself differently, with more confidence.

"Er hello love, not a vampire so that won't exactly work now, will it?"

"What? You actually expect me to believe that...ok where is it? did yopu magic it from somewhere?"

"Where's what?"

"The ring of Amara, you know that makes you invincible, allows you to walk around in the sun,"

His look kept getting more baffled and confused as she went on. Sighing, he looked at her with concern. This bowled Buffy over. Spike was concerned? What was going on.

"Buffy...are you feeling ok?" he questioned

Buffy huffed.

"Of course I'm fine , you idiot!"

She looked like she was going to hit him when Dawn and Vampire Spike came up behind her. Dawn looked confused and Vampire Spike raised a brow at the other him. Spike's looked of confusion deepened and he furrowed his brows as he saw the other him behind her. His lips parted as he studied the vampire.

"What...,"

The vampire looked the teen over, clearly freaked out by it.

"Well, I think it's fair to say that this doesn't happen everyday," Vampire Spike said

Buffy whirled around and scowled at him.

"Shut up!...(turns back to the other Buffy) look I'm tired of games, I will figure out how you're walking around in the sun and when I do-"

She was cut off by Giles coming out of the building and shouting towards the other Spike.

"William, is everything ok?"

The watcher stood by his son's side and now it was his turn to look baffled. Spike turned to his dad.

"I think you'd better sort your bloody slayer out Da, stupid chit thinks I'm a vampire!" he hushed

"You mean your not a vampire?" Dawn question, raised brow.

"NO! If I was I would be a big pile of dust right about now,"

Giles was flitting from Buffy to Dawn to Spike and then back to his son. He stood in between Spike and Buffy, stopping them from arguing any further.

A crowd had formed by the entrance of the school and at the steps. In that crowd was Harmony and Cordelia, eyes wide and mouth hung open.

"What a stud," the brunette stated

"I know...I had no idea Spike had a brother!" the blonde agreed

"We should carry on this conversation in the library...William,"

Spike rolled his eyes.

"How many times have I got to tell you? It's Spike now,"

The teen was so confused he couldn't believe it. There was another him, Buffy and Dawn. Little did any of them know what they were in for.

The teen was pacing the room. Giles was gathering some books, not that they would be any use in this situation and Buffy, Vampire Spike and Dawn sat around the table watching Spike pace like a panther. He came to a halt in front of himself and eyed his leather duster.

"Nice coat," he said casually

"Thanks...," the vampire replied

Buffy rolled her eyes and the brunette watched the two Spike's talk, not that they were doing much of that. Vampire Spike was freaked out by seeing a human version of himself but that was going to be nothing compared to how his teenage self was going to be like when he found out that not only Spike was a vampire that Spike had killed two slayers in the past century. He was now perched on the counter and Giles gave the bleach blonde a warning look and he just shrugged back at him. The watcher placed the books on the table and began questioning them.

"Well, first thing is first, how did you get here?" he questioned

The slayer answered first.

"A portal opened up and before you know it we were here, at the front of the school,"

Giles noted this down and the vampire interrupted him before he could speak.

"Don't take this the wrong way, not that I care if you do or not and not that I'm complainin' about this but...why the bleeding hell ain't I bursting into flames?"

The watcher and the teen turned their heads and stared at him in disbelief.

"Burst into flames? You are human are you not?" Giles queried, brow furrowed.

Vampire let out a soft chuckle and replied.

"I haven't been human in 99 years,"

The other Spike's eyes widened in horror as the reality hit him. In front of him was a vampire version of himself. He couldn't believe it. Giles was in utter shock as well and the trio watched the English men as they mulled this over.

"No, no, no," Spike repeated

The middle-aged man took off his glasses, cleaned them and put them back on.

"Show us," he asked him

The vampire sighed and stood face to face with the old man and gave a half smile before he put on his game face. This caused Giles to jump well away from him. Shock had overwhelmed him. His son was a vampire. Giles looked sick to the stomach.

"Oh dear god," he said, still staring at him

"SPIKE!" the slayer shouted

The vampire turned to her, looking visbly disappointed at having to put away his fangs but he did as he was told none the less. Human Spike hopped off the counter and carefully made his way over to his dad. Making sure he maintained a fair bit of distance between himself and the vampire.

"Dad..."

His eyes said it all. He felt like wrapping his son up into his arms and telling him it would all be ok but he felt like he was the one needing that extra bit of reassurance.

"I am ok W-Spike lets just carry on... (carefully goes back to the trio) can you er remember what you were doing and where you were before you were sent here?"

Dawn nodded and told him where she was. The teen kept on smiling sweetly at human Spike and he meekly smiled back. He couldn't stop looking at Spike, now scared of himself, of what he could do. Buffy explained that she and Spike were checking out some warehouse that he reckoned the vampires that were responsible for the train deaths were. All the while the watcher was making more notes, glancing nervously at the vampire as he went on. This annoyed him so much that he ended up snapping and saying "You're both acting like you've never seen a soddin' vampire before." that was when it came out that he had killed two slayers in the past 100 years and that Buffy should have been his third. Human Spike was angered by this but he kept his mouth shut.

A little while after, Giles and Spike had grown comfortable with vampire Spike. Dawn had gone off to take a look at the books. Buffy had always told her about the school library and everything that had transpired during her three years at the school. Buffy kept on sneaking looks at human Spike and he would smile back, which caused her to frown at him. The library door swung open and in walked Willow, Faith and Buffy. The girls stopped in their tracks as they saw them. Willow looked truly guilty, Buffy looked horrified and weirdly drawn to the vampire Spike. Faith on the other hand smiled wickedly at both Spike's.

"Ya'll gonna tell me what's goin' on?" Faith questioned

The eldest slayer stood up from her chair and was face to face with the brunette.

"What are you doing here, Faith?"

"I go to school here...man just look at you all 'Oh look at me I the queen of everyone' lose the attitude,"

Buffy scoffed.

"Me? Lose the attitude? Why don't you take a look at yourself!" she shouted

The younger Buffy stepped in between the two and pushed them away from each other. Faith stared at her cousin in disbelief

"Whoa and just whoa (turns to Buffy) Faith is my cousin, she isn't that bad (turns back to Faith) just stop and wait until Giles gives us an explanation,"

Vampire Spike was looking at the other Buffy. She was so different, shy looking. The brunette continued to stare at Buffy, who rolled her eyes and explained that she was the chosen one, destined to fight vampires and all demons. She seemed to take this all in so well and just nodded. Suddenly, human Spike blurted something out.

"I'm a vampire,"

"What? When? How?" the slayer panicked.

_Oh my god! He's been bitten_ she thought. The bleach blonde teen pointed to the other him.

"Vampire,"

She slowly took herself away from the two girls and stood in front of the other Spike, staring him straight in the eye.

"Oh, uh... (faces Giles) Giles do you have any answers?"

The watcher shook his head.

"No,"

Willow had turned pale and was still looking very guilty. Giles noticed this and eyed her as she dragged her friend off, whispering in her ear, not realising that vampire Spike could hear everything.

"Buffy...I think this is the spell," she gulped

"What? You mean the spell that we did last night did this?" Buffy questioned

All the red head did was nod in response and now it was Buffy's turn to look guilty. Vampire Spike grinned.

"So what spell is that then girls?"

Both of them turned back to the group, guilty looks matching.

"Spell? What spell did you do exactly?" Giles frowned

Buffy fidgeted on the spot as Willow prepared to tell her watcher what they did.

"You see, we, including Tara did this spell...uh...it was meant to give Buffy a different perspective on things I had no idea this was going to happen I'm sorry Giles!" she squeaked

Now the watcher looked furious.

"How could you be so irresponsible! Playing with magiks when you have no experience with it!...I don't suppose you know the name of this spell?"

"No...this is so not what I wanted, I was just confused," Buffy bowed her head, sheepishly.

Spike watched in confusion as Giles told Buffy what he thought. He kind of felt sorry for her but then again, confused about what? Vampire Spike and the other Buffy look just about ready to kill her. It was because of her that they were there. Dawn had now joined the group and witnessed Faith flirting with human Spike and that she didn't like.

"It does not matter how confused you are about anything, you should never mess with magiks, unless you know what you are dealing with, I am thoroughly disappointed in both of you,"

Buffy was now standing by Giles and the other Buffy and she spoke softly.

"Listen, they are just kids and for what it's worth they know they've done wrong...give them a break,"

"Yes, you are quite right...anyway there is nothing we can do until we find out what sort of spell was used and what it was called, however in the meantime I have been instructed to let you all know that Principal Synder as requested that all 11th graders are to go to the hall,"

Here they sat. The whole of the 11th grade, waiting for this news that the principal had for them. The trio from a different dimension had been told to stay in the library, to avoid any questions that may pop up. Faith was disappointed at the fact that she had offered Spike a seat next to her but he had refused her and sat next to Buffy instead. So she moved over to sit next to Xander. Spike smiled.

"You okay, love?" he asked

"Yeah,"

"Good,"

All the students groaned as the troll walked in and stood up and the stage. He was shortly joined by Giles and Ms Calender. There was a microphone and stand up on the stage with him and he began to speak.

"Now I know you're all wondering why you are here...not that I am bothered but I won't make this last longer than it should, this year the talent show is slightly different, I'm not going to ask, I am telling you that each and every one of you WILL participate and if you do not then (chuckles) you will be expelled, so if any of you, especially Mr Giles are thinking that you aren't taking part, think again,"

Spike rolled his eyes and everyone turned to look at him. Synder coughed.

"I will hand it over to Ms Calender to explain how it will work,"

He handed her the microphone and she smiled at the students.

"Okay guys here it is, you will be split into two groups, males and females (students groan) I will be helping the girls and Mr Giles will be helping the boys (groaning continues) throughout the whole talent show there will be a panel of judges, myself, Mr Giles and Principal Synder,"

"What! You're kidding me right?!?" Angel shouted

"Mr O'connor, unless you want to go on report and face expulsion then if I were you I would be quiet," the principal added

Angel stopped shouted and looked embarrassed. Spike grinned to himself.

"The first round will be held on the 30th of November and out of that two people out of each category will be put through, the four that go through will be told who they are pairing up with to sing a duet or combine their acts, for example one sings and the other dances, this is their opportunity to shine further, but one person out of one duet could go through and the other could not or both people out of one duet could go through, this will take place on the 3rd of December,"

All the students looked horrified, mortified. Disbelief wasn't even in it.

"Then the people that go through will have to have a stand off and then we will decide who wins, ok that is about it, details of rehersals will be put up on the school notice board and don't forget, this is just a bit of fun!"

Talent show? Were they kidding? This could be very interesting.

So what do you think guys? Thanks for the reviews so far keep it up! In the reviews could you please leave ideas for songs or acts for some of the characters as i would like to see what you guys want to see them do e.g drusilla acting or Cordelia singing etc thanks guys!


	25. Author's note

Author's note

this is just a quick note to let my readers know that i can't update until sunday for personal reasons but i will try and work on it as and when i can. Once again i am really sorry. Have a good weekend everyone!


	26. School daze

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon and the lyrics belong to Ghost of the robot.

Chapter 25: School daze

They all felt discombobulated. They had to do a talent show whether they liked it or not and strangely, for some reason seeing them looking so mortified made Giles chuckle to himself. Maybe they would get what was coming to them. Make them grow up a bit. There was one thing that he was looking forward to seeing and that was his son. Singing. Ever since he was small he would always sing and from the age of eight, Giles taught Spike to play the guitar.

"How could Synder do this to us?" Xander moaned

Buffy and Spike looked at each other dumbly, quite disconcerted.

"Well, for one it's Synder, two he is a soddin' troll who will do anything to make students miserable-do I really need to continue?"

The other boy scowled at him and Spike rolled his eyes. Buffy said goodbye to her friends and followed Giles and Spike into the library to find the older Buffy and Vampire Spike were arguing, Dawn sitting a safe distance away.

"What was that?" Buffy demanded  
"Oh, come- don't get your knickers twisted, I was-," he was interrupted by the slayer once again  
"What ... was that?"

The vampire just stared at her. The trio looked on, perplexed at what this was about.

"The late-night stakeout, the bogus suspects, the flask? (Spike raises his eyebrows) was last night a date?"  
"A d- Please! (pretending to be amused) A date? You are completely off your bird! I mean - (quietly) Did you want it to be?" he raised a quick brow

Buffy made a little groan, with an expression of disgust. She moved past Spike and towards the others. She couldn't believe it. She was so upset.

"Oh my god,"

Spike bit his lip, turned to watch her.

"Oh ... oh no. (turns back to Spike) Are you out of your mind?"  
"It's not so unusual,two people ... in the workplace ... feelings develop,"  
"No! No, no, feelings do not develop. No feelings," the slayer deflected it

The other Buffy and Spike stared on as they watched the scene unfold. Giles was slightly unnerved and Dawn just looked like she was about to explode with annoyance.  
"You can't deny it. There's something between us,"  
"Loathing. Disgust,"  
"Heat. Desire,"  
"Please! Spike, you're a vampire," she exasperated  
"Angel was a vampire,"  
"Angel was good!"

What? Angel was a vampire? You have got to be kidding me. Not only that he was vampire it also appeared that this Buffy had a relationship with.  
"And I can be too. I've changed, Buffy,"  
"What, that chip in your head? That's not change. Tha-that's just ... holding you back. You're like a serial killer in prison!"

"Women marry 'em all the time!"  
"Uhh!"  
He quickly realised that wasn't what he meant and backtracked.

"But I'm not ... like that. Something's happening to me. I can't stop thinking about you," he told her  
"Uhh,"

She turned away from him yet again. Dawn wanted to interrupt them but didn't.  
"(turns back) You don't know what you mean! You don't know what feelings are!"

The bleach blonde is clearly offended by this.  
"I damn well do! I lie awake every night!"  
"You sleep during the day!"  
"Yeah, but - (through his teeth) You are missing the point. This is real here. I love-" he is interrupted by the slayer once again  
"Don't!"

She put up a hand to stop him. He sighed. The younger slayer looked at them, then at the other Spike, lips parted in shock. Human Spike was equally as shocked. Giles, well he was nearing on fainting with the shock.

"Don't say it. (Spike stares at her) I'm going,"

She started to walk toward the door.

"Oh, come on, you can't exactly go anywhere and besides we need to talk-"  
"(turns back) We don't need to do anything! Okay, there is no we! Understand?"

She turned to leave.

"Buffy...," her kid sister called after her, causing the slayer to stop in her tracks.

She looked at Giles and spoke with a harsh tone.

"The sooner you get us back the better,"

She opened the door and exited. Spike watched her go with a glum look on his face. The other Buffy looked at him, apologetically. The other Spike blinked.

"I'm glad you're not like that,"

The slayer nodded in agreement and then looked back at the sad looking vampire.

"Am I-is she like that all the time with you?"

"All the bleedin' time,"

The elder slayer sat in the school yard watching all of the students walking by. Spike's revelation had shocked her so much. She hated him and he was souless. A killer. Since seeing the human Spike she thought she had lightened towards the vampire but he tried to tell her he was in love with her she all but threw it in his face and told him he didn't know what feelings were. She was in a day dream when she saw him. Angel. Human and walking in daylight.

"Angel..." she murmured as she got off the bench and started towards him. Her soft features fell when he was joined by the dark beauty that was Drusilla. Angel pulled her into a passionate kiss and smiled into her eyes. Buffy bit her lip and walked off in the direction of the gate, only to be stopped by Cordelia.

"You must be the older sister of Betty, well you can give her a message for me, yeah?"

Buffy frowned.

"I'm going to wipe the floor with her,"

The brunette chuckled and walked away. Buffy groaned with anger. This world was turning out even creepier than her own. Human Spike. Giles was his dad. Angel was human and going out with that prostitute and Cordelia thought that she was her sister??? The slayer sighed and looked up to the sky.

"Don't tell me: Darla is a cheerleader here!" Just that moment who should walk by other than Darla, dressed in her cheerleaders uniform. Buffy started to laugh hysterically.

It had been a few hours after the argument. Dawn had found her sister outside the school gates. She had told the teen that she went wandering just to see if the town was any different to back home and to her surprise it wasn't really that different. Now the blonde sat on one sofa with her sister, whilst the vampire sat on the other one at the other end of the room. Spike had tried to talk to her but it wasn't working. The other Spike didn't like this situation. Guaranteed that they would bicker and shout at each other but now they were doing it in HIS home. Every time he walked pasted Buffy was throwing daggers at both of them and Dawn was smiling sweetly.

"Can I get you anything? Tea, coffee or perhaps something to eat?" the watcher asked his new house guests.

Buffy shook her head in the negative and the bit jumped up towards the kitchen.

"Ooh, whatcha got? Have you got any of those little pizzas? Do you even have those things in this dimension?" she questioned with a raised brow

Giles rolled his eyes and the bleached teen let a chuckle slip from his lips.

"Course we ave...,"

Spike started to go through the freezer and gave a bright smile that said told you so. Dawn took the box from him and started to unpack them. Buffy turned to see her sister being so rude.

"Dawn!" she shouted, making her way over.

"What?"

"You can't just go and eat them like that...sure if it was our Giles he wouldn't mind but it 's not," The middle-aged man smiled.

"No, no it's quite alright, whilst you are staying here you can have whatever you want,"

He abruptly turned his head and was not so pleased.

"What? You'd give them everything if they asked? And when I, your son ask for something you say bloody no," he exasperated

While all of this was going on, the vampire was looking around for the tv remote. When he flicked it on he smiled and then growled as the noise continued.

"I need blood and if you don't mind, keep the noise down coz passions is on!" Spike said, not taking his eyes off the screen. Everyone turned to look at the vampire. The slayer sat back down, allowing Giles to continue to do the cooking. While he was doing this he began to question his son.

"Any ideas on what you are going to sing?" Spike shrugged.

"No idea,"

Giles winced as he took the pizzas out of the microwave. He knew he shouldn't of done that but he was still shocked about the whole situation.

"Why don't you go and get your guitar and do a little practise?" he suggested

Spike's eyes widened at first and then softened.

"In front of them? Are you kiddin me? (sighs) fine fine, I'll do it but it has to be worth my while," he raised both brows for emphasise. His father shook his head. Spike grinned and told the other that he would be back in a bit.

Ten minutes later the teen returned, guitar in hand. Giles took the remote and turned off the television, much to the disapproval of the vampire.

"Hey!" he protested, frown etched on his forehead.

"Shut up," Buffy ordered

Spike mumbled something unrecognisable and then the other Spike sat on the armchair so that everyone could see him. Buffy refused to look him in the eye. What was his plan? Sing a song and hope that it wins her over or something? No chance of that EVER happening. Not in a million years. The teen cleared his throat. "This is a song I wrote a few months back and it is called Dangerous," He started to strum the guitar and tapped his foot to the rhythm before he began to sing.

_I don't think you know my name  
I think you'd leave me standing in the rain  
You're a pretty little girl, got a thing for me  
But you'd cut me open and let me bleed  
But I'll be lookin' at you  
With your long brown hair  
Pretty little feet  
Sparkling everywhere _

You look so good  
When you come my way  
But I have to look down  
When you talk to me

'Cause you're dangerous  
Dangerous  
Dangerous  
And you don't even know it  


Dawn was nodding her head to the song. The other Spike looking at himself as if to say I could do that and Buffy was memorised by his voice. She shook her head and tried to block his voice from her ears but it wasn't working. Spike continued to sing and play.

_  
One baby, two, maybe three more years  
You'll be a full hot baby, have all your curves  
And here's a little taste of irony  
You'll be a too-hot baby, too good for me _

But I'll be looking at you  
With your long brown hair  
Pretty little feet  
Sparkling everywhere

You look so good

When you come my way  
But I have to look down  
When you talk to me

'Cause you're dangerous  
Dangerous  
Dangerous  
And you don't even know it

So little baby, you better stay set  
Play with fire when you get too wet  
So set me down and leave me be  
You'll get a devil when you unchain me

But I'll be looking at you  
With your long brown hair  
Pretty little feet  
Sparkling everywhere

You look so good  
When you come my way  
But I have to look down  
When you talk to me

'Cause you're dangerous  
Dangerous  
Dangerous  
And you don't even know it 

Spike let his voice trail out as the song ended. Dawn was clapping enthusiastically. His dad smiled at him as he caught the nervous look that had crossed his features. Spike furrowed his brows.

"Well, was it any good?" he questioned

The bit started waving her arms around.

"Are you kidding me!!! you were freakin' amazing! I'll be surprised if you don't win it, right Buffy?"

Dawn turned to her sister, waiting for some form of agreement. She had to wait a few minutes before the blonde nodded her head and spoke.

"Not so bad,"

He smiled at her and put his hand on his chest.

"Thank the soddin' lord...I was worried I would be out of tune or something,"

The vampire scoffed and smirked.

"Listen mate and let me tell you a secret (turns his voice low and into a conspiratorial tone) we couldn't be out of tune if our lives depended on it,"

Now it was Buffy's turn to scoff and roll her eyes.

"What makes you think you would be any better than that?"

The vampire chuckled at the slayer.

"Is that a challenge, slayer?"

All she did was cross her arms in response. He rose out from the chair in a sexy fashion and strode over to Spike and held his hand out.

"Pass the guitar,"

The teen looked at his precious guitar and then back at himself. He sighed and reluctantly handed it over to the vampire. Spike sat himself back down on the arm of the chair and he cast a half smile/cocky look at Buffy.

"Be prepared to be shutted up," he warned her.

His moment to shine and show Buffy a different side to him. He had the perfect song to sing and he began to play the tune and sing.

_I died  
So many years ago  
But you can make me feel  
Like it isn't so  
And why you come to be with me  
I think I finally know  
mmm-mmm _

The whole room was stunned into silence as he carried on. Gaining power and such raw emotion as he went along. It didn't take her long to realise that the song he was singing was in fact about her and his feeling for her.

I know I should go  
But I follow you like a man possessed  
There's a traitor here beneath my breast  
And it hurts me more than you've ever guessed  
If my heart could beat, it would break my chest  
but I can see you're unimpressed  
So leave me be and

Let me rest in peace  
Let me get some sleep  
Let me take my love and bury it  
Im a hole 6-foot deep  
I can lay my body down  
But I can't find my sweet release  
Let me rest in peace  
Why won't you  
Let me rest in peace? 

Both of the teens just stared at him. Spike looked worried. His other self sounded so much better than him.

"Now I'm thinkin' that I ain't as good as that and I don't stand a bloody chance!"

"Don't worry to sound like that you have to have experience and since I've been in this world for soddin' ever...well only makes sense that I'm good at whatever I do...not bein cocky there, it's the truth, so does that answer your question, love?" he asked, turning to Buffy.

She didn't allow herself to look him in the eye as her frown faded and she nodded her head.

The next day rehearsals had started for everyone. The whole of the afternoon lessons had been cancelled so that the students could establish what they were doing. Ms Calender had sat the girls in a row of chairs and she stood in front of them and asked each one what they wanted to do. Emily was going to do ballet. Fred was going to do stand up comedian and Cordelia said that she wanted to sing. The only people who had no idea of what they were doing were Buffy, Faith and Willow. The other girls had been told to go and sort out their routine, write it down on paper and then come back to her when they knew exactly what they wanted to do. While the other did this, Ms Calender took the opportunity to talk the the trio. All three of them looked to each other. Expressions matching each other. They looked positively clueless. The teacher sighed.

"So girls, do you have any idea what you are going to do?" she questioned

There was an awkward silent for a moment until Buffy spoke up.

"No idea...,"

Jenny pursed her lips and put a finger to her lips as an idea hit her.

"You could sing...(points to Buffy and then points to the other two) and you two can either be back up singers for her or..." she trailed off

Faith stared angrily at Ms. Calender.

"Or what?" Willow spat out, shakily and hesitantly

"Or you can act, your choice girls,"

Buffy looked extremely mortified at the thought of singing, not only in front of the whole school but in front of Spike. Faith and Willow just looked at each other and Jenny was getting tired of waiting for an answer and rolled her eyes.

"Look, have a think about it while I listen to Buffy singing (turns to her) let me hear you sing a song you're familiar with, ok?"

Buffy nodded slowly as she led her to the makeshift stage and handed her a microphone.

"erm..." Buffy started and Jenny nodded

"Just go with the flow,"

She closed her eyes and swallowed noisily. Her shaking hand held the mic up just in front of her face and began to sing. It was quite evident that she was a bag of nerves.

_'Cause, baby, there  
Ain't no mountain high enough,  
Ain't no valley low enough,  
Ain't no river wide enough,  
To keep me from getting to you, babe_

Buffy's voice was shaky but apart from that Ms Calender seemed to be really impressed and began to clap. Granted, she needed to work on her nerves and tune her voice a bit more but she had what they called in the business that was show; raw talent. The rest of the girls just ignored her, except Cordelia, who was scowling at her.

"Buffy, well done!...okay you need to work on breathing techniques and we need to boost your confidence up but...I think we have a winner in you," she complimented the blonde, causing her cheeks to colour ever so slightly.

"Thanks," she murmured

Faith and Willow were clapping along too. The red head looked to the other girl and sighed.

"I think we should do acting,"

The brunette nodded in agreement.

"O yea, wouldn't want to outshine her now, would we?"

"Faith!" Willow squealed, elbowing her in the ribs.

After Buffy and Ms Calender had a chat, the blonde was on her way to walk over to her friends when Cordelia came up to her. Mixture of anger and jealousy shone through her big, brown eyes.

"Oh my god, please don't tell me you think you're going to win the talent show with that whiny voice?"

Buffy shifted under her gaze.

"I don't think anything..."

And there was an eye roll from Cordelia and an exasperated sigh escaped her lips. Cordelia looked the blonde up and down and chuckled to herself. The slayer however knitted her brows into a frown.

"I would rather listen to cat's claws scraping down a black board than listen to your singing...no wonder your dad doesn't want anything to do with your pathetic self, blonde, skanky and oh a complete freak!"

Buffy tried her best to push down the whirlwind of emotions that suddenly hit her but it was to no luck. A tear slipped from her green/hazel eyes and before anyone knew it she ran out of the room, crying. Everyone stopped what they were doing and faced the now triumphant looking Cordelia. Willow ran out after her and Faith tossed her fellow brunette and furious look and spoke.

"This isn't over, bitch!" before running out after them.

The slayer ran and ran until she couldn't run any more. She heard her friend yelling after her but decided to just ignore her and ran straight into the girls bathroom and locked herself in one of the cubicles. Buffy crotched against the door, held her head in her hands and sobbed. The girls stopped outside the door, panting. When they had got their breath back, Faith decided to go in after her. She could hear her sobbing and sniffing. How could anyone be so cruel? One thing was for sure that Cordelia was going to pay. Faith would make sure of that. After a good ten minutes of trying to convince her cousin that what Cordelia had said wasn't true. The stubborn blonde wasn't replying and the brunette soon gave up. It was the red head's turn to try and get her out of there. While she was in there Spike, Vampire Spike and the other Buffy had come round the corner and saw Faith standing there looking thoroughly pissed and concerned. The bleach blonde teen strode over to her and gave her a quizzical look.

"What are you doin' here? Decided to become the bouncer for the girls bathroom...make sure none of us lads get in there is it?" he said, chuckling.

Faith frowned and hit him on his arm.

"No, you doofus, I was...(Willow walks out looking glum) any luck?" she asked, hopfully.

Willow shook her head in the negative and the other girl sighed.

"She isn't listening...well at least I don't think she is, she won't answer me...Oh god I hope she hasn't done something silly!" Red panicked

"Oh, like what? Hung herself with the toilet roll?...not very likely,"

Spike's nostrils were flared. What was going on? The other Buffy and Spike looked at each other.

"Will someone please tell me what in the buggery hell is going on?!?" he barked

"We were rehearsing and Ms Calender told B that she wanted her to sing, so that's what she did..." Faith started

"After she sung, Cordelia came up to her and said something...I have no idea what she said but it caused Buffy to go running out of the room, crying and now she's-"

"Locked herself in the bathroom?" Spike finished, nostrils flared even more.

Faith nodded. The bad boy stood in silence for a few minutes as Willow spoke.

"What are we going to do? How are we going to get her out?"

He looked around to check if anyone was around. There were only a few students so it wouldn't be much risk in it.

"I'm going in," he announced

They all looked at him, wide eyed.

"Y-you can't go in there!" Willow stuttered

"Have any of you got a better idea? (long pause) Didn't think so...now just stand guard while I go sort this out,"

That was it.

Spike opened the second door and let it shut, quietly. He could here little sniffs coming from the end cubicle and made his way over to it. Hearing her sob like this over something that stupid Cordelia had said to her made his heart break. As he came to the door he halted and pressed his ear against the door. After a moment, Spike pulled it away and took in a deep breath. Buffy didn't realise anyone was there until he spoke.

"Buffy, love..." he spoke so softly.

Buffy moved her head slightly and let her face fall into an expression of confusion. What was he doing in the here? Didn't he realise that if Synder found him in here or any of the girls came in while he was there that he would definitely be kicked out of school. She had now gotten off the floor and was standing face to face with the door. It was obvious that he didn't care about that. When she didn't reply he started again.

"Pet...whatever she said isn't true, you know that right?"

Sniff. Sniff.

This was getting silly now. Spike rolled his eyes and huffed. He then decided to change tactics.

"We should probably get out of here before Quirrel lets the troll in,"

Giggle. Aha! There was something new. Spike knows about Harry Potter? Spike reads full stop? Buffy unlocked the door and opened it to reveal her tear stained face to him. He looked her over and she sniffed once again. She raised a brow to him.

"You read Harry Potter?" she questioned

Eyes widened.

"What? Me? You've got to be kidding!"

She gave a half smile and a look that said 'I don't believe you' and he caved. Rolling his eyes once more.

"...Every single one, I've read every single bloody book,"

"It's ok, nothing to be ashamed of, unlike coming into the girls bathroom...people will begin to think your a perv, don't you care about getting exspelled?"

He shrugged in response. Now they had something in common other than slaying and Giles. Buffy grabbed a wad of tissue, walked over to the sink and wet it. As she was wiping her face, Spike came up beside her. He tilted his head a bit.

"She is right...Cordelia is right...I'm a complete and utter failure," she murmured

This definitely angered him more. How could she possibly think that? He got hold of her arm and spun her round so that she was facing him. Both of his hands rested on either shoulder

"Don't you ever think that about yourself, do you understand?" he practically barked in anger, causing her to jump a little.

"But-"

"But what, Buffy? If Cordelia jumped into a soddin' fire or murdered someone does that means she's right?"

"No...but she said I sounded worse than cat nails down a blackboard,"

"So what! She is only saying that because she sounds like that herself (runs his hand down and through her hair) jealous of what you've got," he whispered the last bit.

Spike's hand came to rest on her cheek. Thumb stroking her cheek.

"There is nothing to be jealous of..."

He sighed, trembling slightly as he brought his fingers and brushed them lightly over her plump, rosy lips.

"You're everything to be jealous of,"

He brought his hand to the back of her head and crushed his lips on hers. They let theirs tongues play with each other's. Buffy hooked her arms around his neck and responded to him. A few minutes of kissing, she abruptly pulled away. Hand went over her mouth in shock and she looked clearly mortified. Shocked. Eyes widened and Spike looked at her just as confused before she spoke.

"Oh my god..."

"Buffy, wait!" he shouted

But it was too late. Eye still wide she walked out of the bathroom, leaving him on his own.

So what do you think guys? Sorry it took me all week to update :( just had writers block but here it is! Thank you for the reviews. Keep it up! Please tell me what you liked the best as then i know what works and what doesn't.


	27. Readers choice

_**READERS CHOICE**_

Hi guys sorry this isn't a chapter but I am doing this for a good reason. I have decided to post the choices of songs for the characters in this story and I will let you decide what they will do. If there is brackets next a song it means I want you to chose when it will be done. Also if you have any ideas as to what Harmony and Oz can do please tell me with your choices. Also what should Drusilla act out and what should Faith and Willow act out? They will be doing two songs plus a duet!

_**BUFFY:**_

I'm a slave for you by Britney Spears (this song will either be her first or last song)

Because of you by Kelly Clarkson

Jump by Girls aloud and The Pointer Sisters

_**SPIKE**_

Lovestoned, Sexy back or future/love sex sounds by Justin Timberlake (1st or 2nd song): WARNING! For this one he will either dye his hair or shave it off you chose!

Goodnight sweet girl By James Marsters

_**CORDELIA**_

The Greatest Love of All by Whitney Houston

These boots are made for walking By Jessica Simpson ( I dont know who sang it before her)

_**ANGEL**_

Rock DJ by Robbie Williams

She bangs by Ricky Martin

_**DUETS**_

The way you make me feel by Michael Jackson and Britney Spears

Set fire to the third bar by Snow Patrol and Martha Wainwright

Bop to the top By Sharpay and Ryan out of High school musical

Thank you guys and I will let you know which ones are going to be done! Thanks for the reviews so far!


	28. Big council is watching

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 26: Big council is watching

A petite body flung itself onto the bed and this person screamed in frustration. Buffy buried her head in the pink, fluffy pillow as she tried to get her head round what had happened at school. The blonde didn't even give him a chance to explain she just fled from the scene. Friends and the other her giving her quizzical looks. She told them that she had to go home and that she would see them the next day. She had to admit it was nicer than she expected it to of been. _Those big blue eyes that you could get lost in so easily and those oh so gorgeous lips of his...WAIT! Just stop this is wrong...but it feels so right _the slayer thought as she lay on her tummy. Suddenly the door flew open and the brunette strolled in, jumping onto the bed next to Buffy.

"So, what's the deal B?"

Buffy rolled over and furrowed her brows.

"What's the deal with what?" she asked in confusion

"You running off home this afternoon...did somethin' go down that I should know about with say a certain bleach blonde that we both know you're crushin' on?"

"No! Nothing happened I just...had to get out of there," she lied

"Right...and that explains Spike's very confused looking face as he came out after you,"Faith quite happily pointed out

Her green eyes widened and as she did so a smirk played on her cousin's lips.

"So I'm right then?"

The slayer rolled her eyes, grunted and got up off the bed, collecting her bag and jacket. Not answering was an answer enough for her but she wasn't going to find out what happened like that.

"It's none of your business Faith,"

Buffy simply said before walking down the stairs only to be confronted by her mother. Joyce's hands were firmly on her waist.

"Where are you going?" the elder woman enquired

"Oh, I forgot to give Giles a book back, I was just going to give it back...I mean, you don't mind do you?"

Deep breath. Sigh. Roll of the eyes. Joyce finally smiled and nodded. Her daughter flashed a bright smile.

"Back for 8:30 ok?"

"Sure,"

He had been in his room for an hour before he announced he was going in the shower. He walked into the living room, rubbing his damp hair with a towel and wearing a white vest. Giles frowned at his son.

"Isn't it a bit cold to be wearing that?"

Shrug of the shoulders. Dawn kept on staring at Spike's arms. _Wonder if he works out? _She thought. The slayer however, was busy flicking through a magazine and the vampire was flicking through the TV channels. He had ordered Giles to bring the television or heap of junk as he called it, out of the basement and into the living room so that he could watch his programmes with ease and comfort. Buffy grunted and glared up over the top of her magazine.

"Do you have to do that?"

"Nothin' good on and I don't see why it's bothering you so bloody much anyway, too busy with your nose stuck in THAT garbage,"

The rest of the people in the room watched as the pair squabbled on. Knock knock.

"I'll get it," the teen announced

When he opened the door he was surprised to see who was behind it. Buffy. In her sweats and a hoodie. She took her hood down and smiled lamely.

"Feel free to tell me to go away,"

Spike shook his head in the negative.

"No...about this afternoon pet..." he started

"I'm sorry," they both said in unison

They both smiled at each other.

"Ah Buffy, what are you apologising for?" Giles spoke from inside.

The blonde walked in to see the others looking at her.

"Oh...book I lent, split coke all over it,"

The watcher went to reply when the phone rang.

"Excuse me,"

"So,"

"Yeah,"

Giles picked the phone up and faced away from the group.

"Hello...(tone turns abruptly unhappy) what can I do for you?...when? (pauses) no problem...yes I will do that, see you then, goodbye," Giles put the phone down and cleaned his glasses.

"Who was that?" Spike enquired

"The council are coming...said they have something rather important to talk to me about and they want Buffy to be here,"

The older slayer bolted up, frowned and scoffed.

"Might of known they were going to turn up at sum point, let me take a guess they have detected that there is two slayer in Sunnydale?" she guessed

The watcher stared in shock at what she had just said.

"H-how did you guess?"

"Well, your precious council of wankers seem to have extraordinary ways of finding these things out...seriously though did any of you really think that this would go undetected by them? Pfft not a chance and really thinking about it, tis sodding stupid of you Rupes" the vampire filled in for the slayer, whom let her frown fade a little.

"As much as I hate to admit this but...Spike is right, you should of known that this would happen,"

The other slayer looked baffled and turned to Giles.

"Can they really do that?"

The watcher nodded. The vampire had a smug look on his face. That was the first time that Buffy had admitted that he was right in anything. Actually getting somewhere with her. The younger slayer huffed and looked like a child that had lost it's candy.

"It's so unfair. I mean, i-it's like Big Brother can spy on you all the time," the older slayer ground out

"More like Big sister..." Dawn muttered, which earned her a glare off Buffy.

"Instead of Big Brother it's Big council is watching...I mean once I set fire to the school library (Giles frowns) right ok, I get it 'Now is not the time, William do shut up' " Spike impersonated his father.

Dawn giggled. Both Buffys stared at Spike and the other Spike gave him a thumbs up. The watcher gathered a few things and informed the group that he had to go and prepare for the council's visit. He also told them that Quentin Travers would be leading them. Buffy hated that guy so much. All prim and proper. Thinks he knows everything. Both the teens knew they had to talk this out so when the trio headed off down to the basement, it presented the perfect opportunity for this to happen. Spike felt so nervous he thought he was going to be sick and he even looked it.

"Spike, are you okay?" Buffy eyed him with concern

Gulp. _Why am I finding this so bloody hard? _He thought

"Yea...this afternoon, seeing you like that I just wanted to comfort you...I don't know what came over me,"

A light giggle from the slayer.

"It's fine, I mean I could of pushed you away before I did so its just as much my fault as yours, lets just forget it, yeah?"

_Like that's going to happen _Buffy thought

He nodded in agreement.

"Fancy a game of Rummy or Egyptian corkscrew?"

So what do you guys think? I know it took me ages to update but i had major writers block. It would be a great help if you could tell me what works and what doesnt :) What do you want to see in the next chapter? Tell me in your reviews and thanks for the reviews so far and keep it up!


	29. Testing times: Part one

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 27: Testing times: Part one

They had no idea what the council had in store for them, since the head of the council, Quinton Travers didn't really give much information over the phone. Only that they knew there were two slayers in town and that they were coming to investigate. So the older Buffy took it upon herself to warn them about the last time the council 'Tested' her. None of them liked the sounds of it and then Giles proceeded to tell them that they would not only want to check Buffy's abilities but they need to check the ability of any civilian that is involved with Buffy. The vampire Spike asked the watcher what they would have in mind for him and he told him that he had no idea and that it was a possibility that they would take him, Buffy and Dawn back to England until they find a way to send them back. Well, the slayer was not happy. She even hit the vampire right in the nose because he continued to get under her skin. _How the hell does he do it? Just one look or some snarky comment and he is able to make me blow my top?_ She thought.

The second rehearsal for Giles' boys and it was going ok, until Angel decided to make his thoughts known to his ex friend. The vampire wore a frown that clearly told everyone that he was not happy to see him, whilst Buffy was looking at him. Longingly.

"Hey Giles, I didn't know you had a brother," Angel nodded his head towards the vampire.

"Sod off, O'Connor," he spat

Spike walked around to where Oz was and started to help him set up. Angel found that Buffy was sort of smiling at him. He looked away and went back up to Spike.

"No need for the atmosphere and all that,"

The bleach blonde snorted and without warning he slammed down his guitar and abruptly turned to face his former best friend. Nostrils flared. Fist clenched.

"No need- no need for THIS atmosphere?!? what bloody planet are you from! Did you really think that I would just forget you taking Dru away from me? (shakes his head)..not a single chance!" Spike shouted

All eyes were on them now. Xander tossed a warning glance to Giles. Angel chuckled at his attempt to look the big man.

"Go ahead Spike, hit me...I know you want to, you know you want to so why don't you just...(pushes him) do it,"

Giles rushed to the stage and placed himself between the two rowing teens.

"Now that is quite enough! I suggest you both work on your acts and if you have nothing positive or nice to say to each other, then do not say anything at all,"

His son looked angrily at him while the other teen smirked.

"Taking orders from daddy now are we?"

That was it. Spike launched himself at Angel but Giles pushed him away and ordered him off the stage. He did the same to Angel, after he whispered a few words in his ear. He gulped and took his leave. While all this was going on, Buffy was looking at Angel and frowning to herself. This Angel was so different to her Angel. The way he acted, well what she had seen so far he was even more pig-headed and arrogant than Spike and that was hard to top in her book. Vampire Spike waltzed up to the teen, who was riffling through his bag.

"Stupid pillock is what he is, always thinks he the best an all...I know how much it hurts,"

Soft chuckle.

"But it's doesn't...not any more," Spike informed the vampire

The other Spike frowned and raised a brow to him.

"How so?" he asked, voice laced with curiosity.

His head snapped up.

"Up until a few days ago I thought that Dru was the only girl for me but...I've realised she was just my first love and that maybe there is,"

"You might have to go searchin' the whole world for her, live for an eternity" the vampire muttered as he looked at Buffy.

"Or maybe she is right in front of me...," the teen muttered

"What? Did you- are you? (hushes his voice down) do you feel the same way about Buffy as me?" he put forward.

Spike pulled away and frowned.

"No...at least I don't think I do...yet, look can we just drop the topic? Go on to something other than my bleeding love life?"

The vampire had gone quiet. He was scanning the crowd and staring, intensely at Angel. Spike narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure something out.

"Does peaches wear lifts?"

Meanwhile, in the rehearsal for the girls. Jenny had pulled all of the ones who were singing to one side. The reason for this was that she wanted to tell them what she wanted them to sing and the way she went about this was this. Ms Calender had written all the songs for the first round down on some paper, folded them all up and threw them into a hat. First into the hat was Harmony. She squealed with horror when she saw what was written on the piece of paper. Barbie girl by Aqua.

"Ohmygod! Are you totally kidding me?"

"I'm no joker Harmony...get practising," she shooed

After two more girls, Buffy and Cordelia were the only two left. The brunette smiled a truly wicked smile as she held her paper up for all to inspect.

"Just you watch these boot walk all over YOUR performance!...(begins to walk away) These boots are made for walking," she began to sing

The blonde gulped as she watched her nemesis walked away. There was no way she would top that. One song left in the bottom of the hat. The teacher put it under her nose. Closing her eyes, she reached inside the hat and pulled it out. But when she opened it she scrunched it back up quicker than you could say Mississippi.

"There is no way on this planet I am singing that," she stated, wide eyed

Jenny sighed and rolled her eyes. She scooted closer to the slayer.

"Look, it's not that bad, besides this gives you the perfect chance to be sexy, show everyone a different side of you,"

"Sexy?...oh no no no, I-I don't, I can't do sexy!... look at me, I'm a freak," she pointed to herself

"Buffy...just read it over, sing the words, then see how you feel, yeah?"

Admitting defeat, the blonde nodded her head.

"Good girl,"

"If there are any BAD repercussions, I'll hold you responsible,"

Shrug.

"fairs fair,"

After rehearsals, Faith made a point out of finding out what Buffy was doing. In the end she caved and told her. This caused Faith to go into cupid mode. She tried to get her cousin to talk about Spike and she tried having a shot at finding out what happened the other day but she found herself falling flat on her face. Time for plan B. Operation scooby. Now that she knew what her next plan was all she had to do was set it in motion. Luckily for her, neither Spike or Buffy were anywhere to be seen at lunchtime. She dived straight in.

"So, what do you think about B and Spike?"

Buffy and Spike? Now she has definitely lost it.

"What do you mean, what do we think?" the red head questioned

"Yeah, come on Faith, what do you mean exactly?" Xander added

Roll of the eyes.

"Are you seriously telling me you haven't noticed the way those two act around each other? Like Romeo and Juliet (shudders) and come on! Somethin' went down the other day in the bathroom, are you blind or summat?"

Xander's mouth dropped open and made it look like he was catching flies.

"No and no! That is just too creepy and I know for a fact that Buffy wouldn't touch that creep with a barge poll," he stated in a matter-of-factly way

"Xander! He isn't a creep...just very troubled (pauses) and come to think about it there were acting all defensive, stealing glances,"

Faith threw her fork onto her tray.

"Exactly! There lye's my point, something happened and I wanna know what, don't you? And I wanna get them together, ok at first-"

"You what? Oh no!... okay raise your hand if you don't want to see that happen," Xander interrupted

He raised his hand and found that the girls hadn't done the same. He glared at Willow and she gulped.

"Will! Please don't tell me-you know what go ahead, screw Buffy's life up but don't expect me to help in the process," he grunted

The punk turned to Willow.

"Are you in or out?"

The red head gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry, as much as I would like to I can't but go on ahead,"

In that she gave up and went to the last people she could think of.

End of school. The scoobies were all gathered up in the library. Awaiting the arrival of the council. Buffy and Human Spike were sat next to each other, glancing at each other. Everyone was nervous and the vampire picked up on that. For some reason Faith kept on looking at him and if she didn't say something soon he was sure going to say something but he found that wasn't the case. The brunette had ushered the other Buffy over to Spike and they stood a fair bit away from the rest of the group. The slayer frowned and found that Spike was doing the same.

"What are you doing?" she piped

Those green eyes examined her closely. She was really on edge because she was unsure if this Faith was like the one back at home. He remembered everything that the scoobies had said about the chit back when she had taken over Buffy's body. Personally, he didn't want to have a run in with her as it would result in a very dusty ending or well the last option wasn't even worth thinking about. Chew of gum.

"I need your help. Both of you,"

"You must be kidding if you think that I'm gonna help a nut case like you, think I've had my fair share of them,"

Faith chuckled. Buffy chewed her lip. She needed help.

"What do you need us for?"

"Glad ya asked, see I have this theory and no one, part from me and Willow has seemed to notice that (looks over to the other Buffy and Spike) those two have definitely got the hots for each other (Buffy tries to interrupt but fails) and I know something went down in that bathroom..."

"Get to the bloody point,"

"The point is I need your help to find out what happened and to get them together,"

Spike tilted his head as he considered the options. Buffy went to blow her top when Quinton walked in with a bunch of watchers. Faith put her thumbs up to the older Buffy and Spike. He nodded and she, shook her head in the negative. All eyes were on the watchers. Giles stood up.

"Quinton,"

"Rupert," he greeted

It was like follow the leader were the watcher's council was concerned. The youngest Buffy looked so nervous and human Spike tossed her a smile. She smiled back. Quinton made his way over to them.

"William, you have grown and Miss Summers it is a pleasure to finally meet you,"

"Uh, likewise I guess," she stuttered

The instant the other watchers spotted Spike they held the crosses up to him and he growled. Quinton turned his back from them and he was now facing the other Spike.

"Precautions, we cannot take any risks (turns to the older Buffy) I trust you understand?"

She really hated this guy and the whole council for that matter of fact. For some reason them holding the crosses to Spike like that made a nerve in her twitch. Stepping towards him he could see the clear look of determination on her face.

"He's impotent, couldn't harm a fly, no threat"

"Hey!" Spike groused

"Unable to hunt or kill?"

"I can't even think about killing any humans, the second I do the chip-"

"Chip?" one of the other watchers interrupted

Buffy glanced at the vampire for a second.

"Spike, don't say another word (turns back to Travers) that has nothing to do with you as we're not from your dimension so why don't you get on with why you're here,"

Nod of the head.

"Very well, these will be testing times, myself and the other council member, whom you see present will put you through a series of tests or trials as they were, also we have to test your friends, as William already knows, but I do stress that this is not the only reason why we are here, I will get to that once all of this is sorted, so Miss Summers, Shall we begin?"

So what do you guys think? Sorry it took me ages to do this i had some writers block so please review kindly:) as you have noticed this is in two parts and i will start the next part soon. What was your favourite bit? What do you want to see happen in Test times: part two? Please tell me in your reviews. Thank you for the reviews so far keep it up! I am really grateful to you all taking the time to read and review!


	30. Testing times: Part two

Disclaimers: All the characters in this story belong to Joss Whedon.

Chapter 28: Testing times part two

The school gym. Quentin had made sure that the windows were blocked out and that there was at least two watchers on guard at all times outside the gym. Buffy was so nervous at what he wanted to test her on that she had turned a certain shade of green. Luckily for her he tested Spike and her friends first. Xander failed miserably, falling on his arse and he looked like he had been in a fight with a bull at the end of it. Willow came off just as bad as him. Now Faith on the other hand surprised everyone at how good she was. At this point all the watchers seemed to be taking a lot of notes. The older slayer noticed this. Then it was Spike's turn. Quentin especially loved testing his fellow watcher's son. His ability was incredible. Buffy gulped as she watched on. How did he get so good? The vampire smirked as he watched him being tested. The older Buffy stared at the vampire and he flashed her a toothy grin, which she rolled her eyes at. Quentin excused the teen. Turning to Buffy he smiled.

"Miss Summers, your next," he informed her

Yet another gulp. A man came up behind her and blindfolded the petite blonde.

"Ohhh," she shouted in surprise

"Agility, clarity, stamina and strength...these are the qualities that the Slayer must possess to do her job,"

Nigel finished tying the blindfold around Buffy's head. Giles, both Spike's, the gang and the other Watchers were standing around. This situation seemed vaguely familiar to the other slayer and she clicked. This is exactly the same thing they did to her not so many days ago. She went to interrupt but decided not to. Even the same people were there.  
"What came after agility?" she said

"If you want her to attack the dummy-" Giles started but was interrupted by Quentin

"No, no. Philip will attack the dummy," Philip was standing next to the dummy in a black karate robe.

"The Slayer's job is to protect it, Do you understand?"

"Protect the dummy," she verified

"As if it were precious. Now, getting the best of Philip will require agility. Listening to my instructions at the same time, that will demonstrate clarity. And stamina and strength will win the long fight. Good luck,"

"Instructions?"

"Yes, I'll be telling you what to do, how to counter Philip's attack. We assume you're familiar with the Japanese names for aikido and jiu-jitsu moves,"

What? Japanese? Oh no.

"Japanese?" the worry was evident in her voice

The second watcher clicked a stopwatch.

"And, go!"

"Whoa, hold on a second. We uh, you know in America, we usually just work our way up to go,"

Philip bowed toward Buffy. He was holding a short axe. Travers spoke in Japanese. Buffy furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Huh?"

"He wants you to bow. Take a bow," Giles translated

"Oh,"

The teen bowed. Philip circled around her. Buffy followed his movements. He thrust at the dummy and Buffy blocked. Then she kicked at him and misses. She spun around and blocked his overhead punch. More instructions from Travers. Philip punched Buffy in the face.

"Punch him," Giles informed her all too late

"Thanks, Giles,"

"Sorry,"

Yet more Japanese.

"Uh...back kick, elbow-" Buffy back-kicked and Philip moved out of the way. She thrust with her elbow and he avoided it. This test seemed pretty unfair to the rest of them. The vampire never really got a look in when the older slayer had to do this and so far he was impressed. "...elbow...strike," Quentin spoke to Giles, not taking his eyes away from Buffy.  
"How have you been training her?" he queried Giles sighed.  
"I've trained her to win...she has only been active for a few months possibly less than that, so if her moves are not up to your standards do not blame her,"

Quentin chuckled slightly.

"No, on the contrary, I blame you Mr Giles,"

Buffy huffed and looked annoyed.

"You know what? I'm gonna have to do it my way, guys...(quietly) even if I'm rubbish,"

Philip swung the weapon and she ducked. He lifted it for an overhead blow and Buffy grabbed the handle, kicked him in the stomach, forced him back against the training horse and elbowed him in the face. He tumbled backward over the horse, losing his grip on the weapon. The momentum pulled it out of Buffy's hands and it flew backward to land in the dummy's chest, knocking the dummy backward into Nigel. He fell to the floor with the dummy on top of him. Buffy turned around, pulling the blindfold off, looking rather sheepish and apologetic. Watcher two knelled by Nigel and clicked the stopwatch.

"Uh-oh,"

The others helped Philip up.

"I think she just broke my rib," he grimaced  
"Yes, well,"  
"I didn't mean to. Um, you know, I, I can do better...sorry?" The watchers just looked at her.

Here she stood. Face to face. Toe to toe with the vampire version of her crush! He seemed muscular and in a sense, not totally true but a bit better looking, like he held himself with an air of confidence and attitude that William didn't have. Spike sucked in his cheeks and grinned at how shy she was. The scoobies, watchers, Dawn and Buffy sat a fair distance away. Willow made a tiny noise, sounded like a squeal and started to talk in a hushed tone.

"How can they do this? He's killed two slayers you know!"

Xander shrugged.

"Maybe they need someone to dust him..." he offered

Buffy frowned. She was dreading seeing this. Ok, he couldn't fight her fully but still. The woman watcher coughed, scoobies turned around to see her press her finger to her lips. Quentin made his way over to the pair.

"Now this is a test and only a test, keep it as fang free as possible shall we?"

Spike grinned at Travers.

"I'll keep it fang free if Goldilocks keeps it stake free," he stipulated

Buffy gulped. Spike noticed how nervous she was looking. Maybe she needed a reminder that he couldn't hurt her. Smiling to himself he put on his game face and made an attack for the teen aged slayer. Almost instantaneously he is brought up short by a crippling brain seizure. Buffy jumped back in shock. Turning back to his human guise and now rubbing his temple to relieve the pain he turned to look at the other Buffy then back at the younger one.

"If there's intent to hurt you, then that chip they shoved in my noggin activates. If, on the other hand...,"

He began to throw feigned punches, Buffy blocking each one, just.

"See (continues to fight her) the thing about the dance is, you never get to stop,"

He grabbed to ken do sticks and threw one at Buffy. Spike flipped the stick up and spun it.

"Every day you wake up, it's the same bloody question that haunts you: is today the day I die?"

He brought the stick down in a vicious arc and Buffy counter-attacked, enraged. Spike grinned. Now that was the slayer he knew.

"Death is on your heels, baby, and sooner or later it's gonna catch you, And part of you wants it... not only to stop the fear and uncertainty, but because you're just a little bit in love with it,"

Buffy had heard enough. She backhanded Spike across the face.

"Death is your art. You make it with your hands, day after day,"

Buffy stared at him, her face a blank mask.

"That final gasp. That look of peace. Part of you is desperate to know: What's it like? Where does it lead you? And now you see, that's the secret. Not the punch you didn't throw or the kicks you didn't land. Every Slayer... has a death wish, (looks to the other Buffy) Even you,"

Spike tossed his stick to the side and made his way out of the room, leaving Buffy stunned and scared. The watchers informed them that they had passed and that they would send them the report once it had been done. Eventually the only people left in the gym were Buffy and William. She made her way over to the benches and he handed her a bottle of water.

"Thanks,"

The water went down quicker than anything and William noticed that she was shaking. He put his hand on her arm.

"You okay Summers?" he asked

She nodded at his kindness and smiled.

"Yea, I'm good, only thing left to tackle now is the talent show," she grimaced

Buffy wasn't the only one dreading it. William didn't want to do it. There was something about Buffy that seemed different. She was twitchy and had that look in her eye saying 'I'm totally wired' that or 'I'm completely high'

"You know watching you and the other me fighting has left me with feeling the need to go and kick some demon ass, up for it?...promise I'll get you home in one piece," he tried to persuade her

Buffy thought it over for a minute. Patrolling with Spike, after school. Sounds a lot like a date but not a date. No way was she missing out on this quality time with him. Grabbing her coat she smiled.

"You're on,"

As they were walking out William spoke.

"I mean, it's not like I'm some dangerous vampire, who has killed two slayers and has a chip up my brain,"

Buffy pushed him playfully on the arm.

Hey guys what do you think? Sorry it took me ages to update but i had major writers block. Please enjoy. Thanks for the reviews so far and keep it up!


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